Servants on Standby (SOS)

The SOS ministry is a simple and efficient way to unite the Ridge body in service to one another and to our community. It is a way to make immediate, physical and spiritual needs known within the Ridge family and our surrounding community so that WE can be the hands and feet of Christ to meet those needs!

“And the second greatest commandment is love your neighbor as yourself.” – Matthew 22:39

The SOS ministry model has been an effective service and outreach tool since January 2005 here at the Ridge. Through SOS, God has provided many meals and served hundreds of people within our local body and community in situations like home repairs, moving, and transportation. And beyond those basics, the SOS ministers at the Ridge have had the blessing and privilege of:

• Clothing an abandoned baby

• Building steps for an elderly woman with unsafe home entry

• Providing a sewing machine to a grandmother to sew clothes for her granddaughter who was rescued from an abusive, neglectful situation.

And that's just the beginning.

Isn’t that incredible?

There is a four-fold blessing here:

1. The person in need
2. The contact person receiving the responses
3. The person who meets the need
4. The church body and the community who see God at work

The SOS Guidelines

Please take a few minutes to look over the guidelines for an SOS alert. Knowing what to do will help when the time comes to contact SOS. SOS is...

* an email team that pairs those in need with those willing to assist

* intended to support the Ridge family and Ridge ministries or missionaries in their endeavor to share Christ's  love for others

* intended to support non-cash requests for goods or services

The SOS Model

The SOS model is simple, coordinated communications system with an EASY “alert” process. Here’s how it works:

1. ENLIST: Email sos@austinridge.org or call the Ridge Office (512-263-7701) to describe the service need.

2. ALERT: An SOS moderator sends a concise email “alert” to the SOS email list to initiate the service request.

3. SERVE: Responses to meet the need go directly to the contact person identified in the alert

4. YES!: SOS moderators monitor progress until they hear, “Yes! The need is met!”

Imagine how thrilling it will be to share the ways lives are touched and to BE the Body of Christ IN ACTION!

If you are not currently on the Ridge email list and would like to be, please contact our receptionist, Kelli Stoffels.

Request SOS Assistance here

Other Ridge Resources

For needs that do not meet the SOS guidelines, please contact these other Ridge ministries:

* Benevolence team - David Bixby (512-263-7701)

* Prayer chain - Babette Lockett (512-327-9407) or Joan Webb (512-288-1310)

* Counseling referrals - David Bixby (512-263-7701)

The SOS Team

 "Bear one another’s burdens and thus fulfill the laws of Christ” – Galatians 6:2