blessed to be a blessing

Our Mission: 

"To saturate our community with God's grace and goodness"


God's word makes it clear that it's our job to share the love of Christ with people we see every day, whether we're in our local community or halfway across the world. And this mission not only impacts those we serve, but it is a pathway to spiritual transformation in our own lives.


There are so many ways to serve through First CRC, as well as getting involved in global efforts to spread the Gospel of Christ. Whether you feel called to help with our nursery program or join in a missions trip on another continent, we want to empower you to do the work God has called you to.



Let's Get Started

We invite you to take a look at the two links below. There are many ways to serve here and our goal

is to help you find the place that is best suited with the way God made you. 


Further down this page, we provide a more in-depth picture of the many ways

we are serving at our church, Kings County and across the globe.

Serving at First CRC

First CRC Mission and Vision:

As a community of faith, we value and encourage everyone to discover the richness of serving the Lord and one another as Christian stewards of our time, talent, and treasure.


We envision each member of First CRC to participate in 3 things:

1) Sunday Worship

2) A Life Group (or a similar small group experience)

3) One area of Leadership corresponding to your God-given gifts and abilities.


In that way, we hope to see people growing in the Word, in relationship with God and one another, and in service to Christ and His Kingdom. 


We invite you to join us as we seek to extend a loving hand to everyone in and around our neighborhood. 


Opportunities to Serve - Church Initiatives:


Here are a few examples of things you can get involved in:


WORSHIP SERVICES:

Each morning and evening service includes the use of widespread gifts and talents from audio/video/visual management, greeters, readers, hospitality teams, nursery attendants, worship ministry teams, prayer teams, Sunday School leaders, hall monitors, and so on. 


PRESCHOOL/CHILDREN/YOUTH MINISTRIES:

Serve as a nursery attendant, GEMS/Cadets counselor, VBS volunteer, Youth Sponsor, or with our after school Good News Club program. 


ADULT MINISTRIES:

Consider joining or helping facilitate one of our adult study groups like Coffee Break or Men's Life.


CARE & HOSPITALITY MINISTRIES:

If you feel the Lord has gifted you with gifts of empathy and hospitality, consider participating in one of our many ministries like Martha's Daughters (meals program),  or even serve as one of our Greeters/Ushers to name a few.


CREATIVE/OFFICE HELP:

The Story of Us". We are also pursuing more multimedia projects online and in the community. If you have gifts in writing, editing, or multimedia and would like to use your gifts, let us know.


EVENT LOGISTICS:

Help us plan, set up, cook, serve, and tear down with the many events we have throughout the year.


HANDS-ON MINISTRIES:

If you have gifts in media, tech, or construction, consider assisting our worship service A/V team, missions projects, Video-Enrichment projects, or other special community events.


This is by no means an exhaustive list. There are many different ways for you to use your gifts.

SERVING hanford & Kings County

First CRC Mission and Vision:


God has seen fit to place First CRC in Hanford, California. And after more than 100 years of God's faithfulness, here we remain. 


In faithfulness to God's call, we endeavor to "...seek the welfare of [this] city where God has placed us and pray to the Lord on its behalf." [Jeremiah 29:7]


Part of the mission of First CRC is to "Serve all of God's children as agents of 'shalom' (peace, justice, and harmony)." That means part of our mission is serving God in such a way that individuals and communities (like Hanford) are made whole by upholding grace and truth, goodness and impartiality. God leads us to care for the marginalized, neglected, poor, orphan, and widow, abused, as well as the abuser (of which we all are). 


Opportunities to Serve - Community Initiatives:


STEPHEN MINISTRY - Stephen Ministry is the one-to-one lay caring ministry that takes place at First CRC. Stephen Ministry congregations, like First, equip and empower lay caregivers—called Stephen Ministers—to provide high-quality, confidential, Christ-centered care to people who are hurting. Many of our current S.M. leaders are serving at the local hospital listening and praying with the sick and bereaved (Hanford Hospital Prayer Ministry).


UNDER THE BRIDGE - A small group of church members gather together on Saturday mornings to share the love of Christ (through small gestures of food, drink, prayer, and fellowship) with the marginalized in the community of Hanford. 


GOOD NEWS CLUBS - An afterschool program that meets at Monroe School. Children enjoy a snack, crafts, and a Bible lesson. 


IN-HOUSE CHURCH COMMUNITY PROGRAMS - First CRC does many church community programs such as: 

Vacation Bible School - A week-long summer program for children in the community.


Community Movie Nights - Dinner and a meal under the stars.


Friendship - Weekly gathering devoted to sharing the love of Christ with people who have intellectual disabilities.

and many more...


FARMERS MARKET - Every summer, First has a table at the Farmers Market dispersing Bibles and refreshments and advertising for our VBS program.


COMMUNITY CHRISTMAS CAROLING - After our annual Candlelight service, we sing Christmas carols in our community and end with hot chocolate and snacks. 


CHURCH PLANTING - First CRC directly supports two church plants in California. Open Door (Lathrop) and Koinonia International (Spanish-speaking congregation that meets in the same sanctuary as us).


SAFE FAMILIES FOR CHILDREN - Safe Families for Children offers sanctuary to thousands of children, minimizing the risk for abuse or neglect and giving parents the time and tools they need to help their families thrive. The ultimate goal is to strengthen and support parents so they can become Safe Families for their own children. Select parents of First CRC receive training in order to be Safe Family partners. 


ANNUAL LOCAL MISSIONS PROJECT - In light of our above mission, we recognize that the needs of the community are always changing. As such, we are committed to developing annual 'local' missions projects for the enrichment of Hanford and Kings County.


MARTHA'S DAUGHTERS - Our “meals on wheels” program. This ministry exists to support individuals and families that are experiencing  times of transition, whether that be through the death of a loved one, losing a job, recently moving to the area, etc. Martha’s Daughters works with the deacons to serve in the ministry of benevolence and compassion for those in need.


HELPING HAND - Funeral Luncheon Program


KINGS NURSING HOME WORSHIP SERVICES - Members of First CRC lead and attend the weekly Sunday afternoon worship service at the Kings Nursing & Rehabilitation Center on the first Sunday of each month.


and more...


Hanford & Kings County Organizations First CRC Supports:


A. Corcoran & Avenal Prison Ministries

B. Gideons Ministry

C. Hanford Hospital Prayer Ministry (Stephen Ministry Initiative)

D. Kings County Action Organization (KCAO)

E. Visalia Rescue Mission

F. Salvation Army

G. Kings Gospel Mission

H. Champion's Men's Shelter

I. KCAO Women's Shelter

J. High School Chaplaincy (Hanford East & West, Sierra Pacific, Earl F. Johnson)

Serving around the world

First CRC Mission and Vision:


First CRC directly supports missionaries all over the world in more than 10 countries and many more through various Para-Church organizations. Though God has placed us in Hanford, we know that Christ has commissioned us to go "to the ends of the earth making disciples of all nations." In obedience to the Lord's command, we aim to serve not only our neighbors in close proximity to us, but our brothers and sisters across the world as well.


Opportunities to Serve - Global Initiatives:


VOCATION-BASED MINISTRY - Our church recognizes that individuals in God’s church have differing gifts and callings all for the sake of His Kingdom. As such, we endeavor to encourage a vocation-based approach to serving locally as well as globally. A vocation-based ministry is one that uses your particular training and skills in realms of service such as education, health, agriculture, or engineering to name some examples. One example of this is First's ongoing partnership with Partners Worldwide, an organization that establishes hands-on global relationships in business as a means of creating flourishing economic environments all over the world. For more information on how you can partner with the church with your particular skill set, please contact Pastor Lambert. 


ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL MISSION TRIP - First CRC commits to participate in an annual international missions trip to one of the many agencies we support. The goal is not only to offer aid, but to continue to partner with these agencies via more than financial means. For more information on where we will be going next and how you can get involved, contact Pastor Joel or one of our two mission Deacons. 


YOUTH MISSION TRIPS - Every year, the youth group will partner with various agencies we support via missions projects. 


CHRISTIAN REFORMED CHURCH OF NORTH AMERICA (CRCNA) INITIATIVES & MINISTRY SHARES - First is a part of the CRCNA denomination, one of the only binational denominations in North America. As a denomination, we do many things to meet our mission of engaging God's people through love, mercy, justice, and compassion whether that be through missions, fundraising, community development, disaster response, advocacy, and more. 


First CRC pledges to support the various denominational agencies not only through financial means (ministry shares), but also with the stewardship of our time and talent as well. 


Global Organizations We Support:


A. Partners Worldwide

B. World Renew

C. Barnabas Foundation

D. Youth With a Mission (YWAM)

E. Christian Reformed World Missions (CRWM)

F. Christian Reformed Home MIssions (CRHM)

G. World Gospel Outreach (WGO)

NOW WHAT?

Gifts/Interests Inventory

Now that you know what we are all about, perhaps you would like to join us in our mission. 


At First CRC, members are encouraged to cultivate their gifts and talents so that we may be jointly blessed as we serve the Lord as a community of Christ. If you would like to fill out a Spiritual Gifts Assessment, please click "Launch Form" below. The inventory is sent to First CRC Staff and the Board of Deacons.