Ben is the program director for 1in10 at the Hills CFC. We asked Ben to introduce himself and tell us a little about the 1in10 program, the effect it's been having on the community and most importantly - how to get involved yourself.
Hi Ben, please introduce yourself...
My name is Ben Muller, and I have been attending Hills CFC for about ten years. I live in Aberfoyle Park with my wife Megan, and our two young daughters. I’m a civil engineer and work in the construction industry.
Why start 1in10 at HillsCFC?
It started a few years ago when listening to the speakers at a church leadership conference. During Jesus’ time on this earth he said that the second greatest commandment is to “Love others as yourself”. I felt like God was challenging me to really put my faith into action – to get into the community and help those in need. It was a conviction that I couldn't shake, so after some discussion with the church leadership team, Pastor David suggested the idea of 1in10. This was a very successful community service program run by our “mother” church Seaton CFC, so with their guidance and blessing, we adopted their idea.
How has it been received so far by the community?
Great - Our efforts have always been very well received. Our church meets in the Blackwood High Performing Arts Centre, so we’ve done a few projects at Blackwood High and also at Bellevue Heights Primary. It’s always been clear that the people we’ve helped really appreciate our assistance – some have even shed tears of joy, which is very humbling to say the least.
How are the volunteers finding it?
Well I am probably not the best one to ask, as I will only tell you good things about 1in10! I suppose that the best evidence is when our volunteers come back to another event, and another, and another. I know most people really desire to help their local community in a practical way, but they don’t know where to start. 1in10 provides an opportunity for people to put into action their desire to help others.
How can people get involved and what kind of commitment is there?
The concept of 1in10 is that you give up 10% of your Saturday mornings (or 1 in 10!) to help people in the community who are in need. We don’t ask you to commit to every event; just whatever you can offer is awesome. Volunteers simply sign up by sending an email to 1in10@hillscfc.com. About two weeks before each event, we send out an email outlining where and when the next project is. Our volunteers then let us know if they can come and in what way they might be able to help. It still amazes me that no matter how many projects we have planned on a given Saturday, God always provides the correct number of people to ensure the work gets done.
On the day, we meet at 7:30 and have breakfast together. Everyone makes a small donation to cover the cost of breakfast and purchase any materials we need for the day, which has ranged from bags of premix cement through to a freezer! Some people who haven’t been able to assist on the morning have kindly donated funds or materials which has been a great help.
Do you have to be physically strong to help?
No, that’s the beauty of 1in10 - there are so many different ways to help. Prayer is always the first step, and anyone can do that! We’ve undertaken many different projects - some more physically demanding than others, including: building a retaining wall, placing a concrete path, weeding, planting, mulching, painting, cleaning and even cooking! We’re always on the lookout for people who need a hand, so if there’s a need, we’ll try to help in whatever way we can.
