Rooted
Frequently Asked Questions:
What is the Rooted ministry?
The Rooted ministry provides spiritual support to the guests in residents staying at four local motels. These motels are the Johnson, Jefferson, Rip Van Winkle and Fauquier Motels. Many of these folks are lonely, troubled, and forgotten. Rooted collaborates with several churches and volunteers from the community.
Where does the Rooted ministry meet?
The Rooted Ministry meets at one of the motels. In teams of two, we go door to door at the motel to talk and pray with the folks at the motel. We do not enter the rooms. All interactions occur outside.
When is the Rooted ministry at the motels?
The Rooted Ministry meets every Sunday at a selected motel at around 12:30 PM. We can be talking and praying with the folks at the motel from anywhere from 1 hour to 2 hours.
Why does the Rooted Ministry exist?
Rooted exists to bring hope and the Word of God to citizens in our community who often feel unwanted, unloved, and forgotten. They are unlikely to attend a church. Rooted helps bring the strength that following Christ can bring to a life. We deliver a message, smile and prayer that can help spark a change in their lives.
What skills do you need to have to participate in the Rooted Ministry?
There are three key skills 1) You see the face of God in everyone you meet and do not pass judgement 2) have an ability to listen 3) have a strong belief that by following Christ, a life can change.
Can I bring my children to the Rooted Ministry?
We do not allow for anyone under the age of 18 to participate in this ministry. The reason is there are some children staying at these motels and they may be classmates. Also, some of the people we pray with are experiencing some emotional or physical issues and need to speak with an adult. Finally, some of the guests do have criminal backgrounds so in the interest of safety we keep children away.
What do I need to bring to a motel visit with Rooted?
A cheerful attitude, a big smile, a willingness to listen, a strong faith in God and a Bible.
What happens when we meet someone at the motel?
We begin by knocking on a door. If someone answers, we greet them, tell them our names and that we are from a local church. We begin a conversation to see how they are doing. Most often, the guest will begin to tell us how they are doing. Through this discussion, we begin to identify areas we can pray together on. We then ask them if we can read some scripture together. One of the Rooted team members will read scripture. Once scripture has been read, the other Rooted team member will lead the prayer for the person.
Is it safe to be doing this at the motel?
Throughout the life of our ministry, we have seldom encountered dangerous situations. We have a protocol of precautions we take to make sure we are safe. This includes always working in pairs, never entering the rooms, checking with motel management on any rooms we should not call on and checking public law enforcement web sites to know who may be in certain rooms. There are several long term residents at these motels who know us and will keep an eye out for us while on the property.
What if somebody does not want to pray or talk to us?
That is fine. We do not force a conversation or prayer. In almost all cases, when people do not want to engage with us, they politely decline, thank us, and then close their door. Well over 90% of the doors we knock on, we are welcomed and have good discussions and prayers.
I have heard there are drugs and some dangerous people at these motels. Is that true?
Yes. There are some guests who are involved with drugs. There are also some registered sex offenders. Therefore, the Rooted Team always operates in pairs, never enters the rooms, and has awareness of who is staying at the motel. If someone is under the influence or acting strange, we politely move one. In our 2 years of operation, our safety record is 100% safe and we have not been threatened or harmed.
Do the motel guests ask for money? Do we provide it?
Sometimes we will be asked for money. We do not provide financial cash assistance. Our focus is on relationship building, listening, and bringing the Word of God to people who are not likely to come to a church service. We do have some small gifts we sometimes provide, and it is not uncommon for us to bring a bag of fruit with us to offer somebody an orange or apple. They are good conversation starters. We do hand out the Community Resource Guide or point them to other organizations who may be able to help them with a specific need.
Do the Rooted Volunteers meet at the motel or do they travel together to the motel?
We meet at the motels.
Does Rooted always go to the same motel?
No. We rotate each week to one of the four motels.
How do I know what motel we are at each week?
An e-mail is sent out each week announcing where we will be ministering that week. We also publish a schedule that lays out the plan for about six months.
Why should I want to volunteer?
The Rooted Ministry provides you with an incredible opportunity to share the word of God with some of our communities most forgotten people. For many of the folks that live in these motels, every day is a struggle. They may be receiving public assistance or some other material support. But what nobody does is listen to them, pray with them, and bring the Word of God to them on their turf. The Rooted Ministry provides you an opportunity to bring hope and a smile to a person who desperately needs it. Rooted gives you a way to bring Jesus into lives that desperately need him.
I have other questions. Who can I contact?
Please contact Jay Heroux at jaysvdp@gmail.com or Wendy Robbins at jaws1231@gmail.com