Emotional health is a critical component of living life with Christ. GCCC provides support for members of our community going through difficult times via several means:
Meals Ministry
Benevolence Fund
If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? (John 3:17)
Purpose of The Benevolence Fund
Great Commission Community Church has created The Benevolence Fund to provide one-time financial assistance to those in our church who are struggling to cover their basic needs and have run out of other viable financial options. The assumption is that most avenues for seeking to restore financial independence has been taken (family, savings, investments). People in this category may include those who have been out of work for an extended period of time, on sick leave, who have been incapacitated for some reason, or may have some unforeseen emergency financial burden. The Benevolence Fund has a specified allocated amount reserved from our annual budget on a yearly basis. Funds may help cover basic needs including but not limited to:
- Rent
- Mortgage
- Utilities
- Food
- Funeral costs
- Medical treatment
- Initial professional counseling sessions
- Travel
Limits of Assistance
The purpose of the Fund is to aid those individuals and families during a time of immediate hardship or crisis by providing a one-time financial gift to meet their basic needs. However, The Benevolence Fund does not provide to meet the following needs:
- Business investments, business debt or anything that brings profit to the individual or family
- Paying off credit card debts. Exceptions can be made if the credit card debt was used in case of emergency like hospitalization, death, etc.
- Paying off lawyers or fines from illegal, criminal behavior or lawsuits
- Gambling debts
- School tuition or fees to a program
- Housing for unmarried couples
Eligibility Criterion
The Benevolence Fund is solely for members or active participants of Great Commission Community Church who regularly attend worship services and support the church through financial giving. Any person who wishes to be considered must fill out The Benevolence Fund Application Form. The GCCC Governance Board will meet, discuss, and decide on all applications.
Confidentiality
Personal information obtained through the Benevolence Fund Application will be reviewed by the Governance Board. Prayer requests will be shared with the Governance Board, unless applicant requests otherwise. Applicants may also choose to share prayer requests with GCCC pastors and elders.
Application Process
To apply for assistance, please fill out The Benevolence Fund Application Form and submit to: governance.board@greatcommissioncc.org. The GCCC Governance Board will review the application and choose a course of action upon receiving the form. The Governance Board may request additional information or ask for an interview prior to making their final decision. They will also have the discretion to determine if the financial aid will help or if, in their estimation, it will reinforce negative/irresponsible behavior, and may choose not to award any assistance to the applicant. The Governance Board may also choose to assign an amount that is greater or less than requested by the applicant. If the applicant wishes GCCC to pay the third party directly, that can be arranged as well. The Governance Board will also do a follow-up after the money has been disbursed to the applicant (and their family) to see how they are faring and to provide prayer or other non-financial assistance. Great Commission Community Church desires to walk alongside each applicant during this time.
Rules for Disbursement
The Benevolence Fund is not a loan and should not be repaid in any form. After the final decision has been made to disburse funds to the applicant, a check should be ready within a week as we believe that all cases are urgent and in need of immediate action. There may be short-term financial assistance which require specific bills to be paid to the respective vendor. In these cases, no checks or cash will be given directly to the applicant.
Counseling Resources
We recognize the value in processing life with a trained professional. We encourage you to check out websites, arrange for a phone consultation (usually free), and schedule an appointment. Sometimes it takes a few sessions to gauge whether a counselor is a good fit for you. We recommend going with the counselor you feel most comfortable with, who has availability that works with your schedule, and who is most accessible to your home/work in order to have consistent, regular appointments. There is no one-size-fits all model. Limited financial support for counseling may be available through the Benevolence Fund. For more information, see the Benevolence Fund page.
Christian Counseling:
Emmaus Counseling and Consulting Services (Herndon, VA)
Alice Kim, LCSW offers counseling and consulting services, helping people walk towards wholeness.
Email: emmausccs@gmail.com Fee: Out-of-network provider/Self-Pay/Out-of-Pocket
Life Christian Counseling Network (multiple locations throughout DMV area)
Dr. Christine Buckingham is passionate about seeing people experience Christ’s healing for their lives. Fee: Out-of-network provider/Self-Pay/Out-of-Pocket
Heart Song Counseling (throughout DMV area)
Heart Song is a local counseling group that partners with churches and utilizes local church
facilities to offer their services. Heart Song also offers Zoom counseling sessions. Fee: Contact for more info
Isabel Park, M.A. (NOVA)
Offers EMDR Therapy and Christian Counseling. Also offers teletherapy. Email: healingrace@gmail.com
Fee: In-Network with BlueCross BlueShield, Anthem, CareFirst, Cigna
Synergy Counseling (Fairfax, VA)
Synergy Counseling offers individual, family, and marriage counseling. They also offer in-person or telehealth appointments. Their heart is to walk with you as you create the life you want. Fee: Contact for more info
Rock Recovery (throughout DMV area)
Rock Recovery wants to work with you to help you achieve lasting recovery from eating disorders.
Secular practices recomended by GCCC Members:
Lifestyle Health (multiple locations in the DMV)
Group practice with multiple LPC’s, LMFT’s, psychiatric Nurse Practitioners, and Licensed Clinical Psychologists. Fee: Contact for more info.
The Bridge Wellness Group (DC and MD) Group practice focused on helping you pursue healing for your whole person through traditional psychotherapy as well as healthy eating, meditation, exercise, and wellness. Contact for more info.
Kendra Northington, LPC (DC) Kendra focuses on helping you achieve your wellness goals. She is passionate about helping her clients pursue their dreams and feel empowered to work towards well being. Contact for more info.
Reynolds and Rubino (Fairfax, VA)
Reynolds and Rubino is a group practice that believes that through therapy you have the opportunity to face challenges and emerge stronger. Fee: In-Network with Blue Cross Blue Shield PPO plans (including BlueCard PPO, Anthem PPO, the Federal Employee Program, and Carefirst PPO networks).
Emotional Healing Resources
Emotionally Healthy Discipleship provide insights on challenges common to believers (e.g., depression, relationships, dealing with conflict) and walks you through how to receive Jesus’ healing.
Bondage Breaker Series with Neil Anderson provides instruction on identity, emotional health, and spiritual freedom. You can subscribe for free to Right Now Media through our church.
Abuse and Mental Health Hotlines:
Department of Health and Human Services; suicide prevention, eating disorders, trauma, etc.
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration; 800-662-HELP
National Alliance on Mental Illness; 800-950-NAMI
National Domestic Violence Hotline: 800-799-SAFE
National Suicide Prevention Hotline; 800-273-TALK