About

Love In the Name of Christ of the Kenai Peninsula is an inter-denominational Christian organization that works with churches and agencies in the area to assist our neighbors in need.

Our affiliate opened on November 30, 1987.  We network with over 80 churches on the Kenai Peninsula, via partnering with us, or in some way being instrumental in assisting with various needs.

We are a “Clearinghouse” for agencies and church ministries on the Peninsula.  What that means is when a person with a specific need calls our office, we gather information and try to direct them to the available resource, whether that is an agency like the Food Bank or a Church Ministry like a clothes closet. Many times there is a need for our client and a resource is not available or they do not qualify for other services.  At this time, we have a set of parameters to determine if we should solicit assistance from a church near the person or from their preferred denomination. This is called filling the gap. Sometimes our assistance is simply listening to the person’s problem, demonstrating care, and offering prayer.

•  President: Pastor David Smith
• Vice President: Mark McKinley
• Secretary: Sherril Miller
• Member: Lucas Netherlands
• Member: 
• Advisory Members: Dale Dolifka –  Attorney at Law 

There are different levels to the Love INC model, and each affiliate has the opportunity to minister to people in need on all levels. Each level goes deeper in fulfilling Love INC’s mission to mobilize the Church to transform lives and communities In the Name of Christ.

The Clearinghouse is the foundation of all Love INC affiliates and includes these basic steps:

1. Receive request for help. Requests for help are received in the Love INC Clearinghouse either directly from a person in need or when a person is referred to Love INC by a local agency or church.
2. Assess the need. Trained Love INC volunteers or staff screen the request to determine legitimacy and extent of the need, and to discover any deeper issues fueling the crisis. Love INC determines what help the client has already received from agencies or churches, and ensures the need is manageable and specific.
3. Refer to help. Love INC connects the need to the most appropriate church ministry, church volunteer, and/or local agency and the need is met.
4. Follow up. Love INC reviews the outcome. Was the immediate need met? Is there a core issue that requires longer-term attention? The follow-up also provides an opportunity for the recipient to become connected to a local church if he or she desires.

Mission

Our mission is to mobilize the local Church to transform lives and communities In the Name of Christ.

Core Values

1. We are Christian. Everything we think, say and do is in the name of Christ.
2. Prayer is an integral part of who we are.
3. We follow Christ’s example of valuing the poor and needy.
4. We value the unity of the Body of Christ.
5. We value transformation in the lives of people and communities.
6. We value churches living out the two great commandments to love God and love their neighbors.
7. We value building Christ-like relationships.
8. We value the connectedness of the Love INC movement.
9. We model excellence.
10. We value continually maturing in our capacity to meet people’s needs.

Staff Members Include:

• Executive Director:  Leslie Rohr
• Clearinghouse Coordinator:  Laine Povelite
• Bookkeeper:  Pam Olson
• Grant Administrator/ Data Input & Compliance:  Jayneene Baldwin
• Eligibility & Intake Specialist:  Allison Bushnell
• Data Input & Compliance: Norma Jean Esmailka
• Nikiski Shelter of Hope:
• Facility Manager: Tonya Silk
• Staff Members; Cyndy Brower, Joanne Samson, Laine Povelite

• We acknowledge one God; Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  In Jesus the Christ the love, mercy and grace of God are made known to us and all people.  From this overflowing abundance of God’s love we find our call to ministry and empowerment through His Holy Spirit.
• We proclaim together, “Jesus lived, died and rose again.  Jesus is LORD.”  We desire Him to be central in our individual and corporate life.
• We seek to follow Him through the empowerment of His Holy Spirit-in His identification with the poor, the afflicted, the oppressed, the neglected; in His special concern for children; in His respect for the dignity bestowed by God on women equally with men; in His challenge to unjust attitudes and systems; in His call to share resources with each other; in His love for all people without discrimination or condition; in His offer of new life through faith in Him.  From Him we derive our holistic understanding of the Gospel of the Kingdom of God, which forms the basis of our response to human need.
• We hear His call to servanthood and see the example of His life.  We commit ourselves to a servant spirit permeating the organization.  We know this means facing honestly our own pride, sin and failure.
• We bear witness to the redemption offered through faith in Jesus the Christ.  The staff we engage are equipped by belief and practice to bear this witness.  We will maintain our identity as Christian, while being sensitive to the diverse contexts in which we express that identity.

Used, with permission, from World Vision’s Statement of Faith.