Arrive Ministries is…
- a Christian non-profit organization dedicated to the cause of the refugee and
immigrant - a ministry that empowers local churches to welcome and serve displaced refugees who resettle in Minnesota
- comprised of refugees, staff, members of faith communities, and volunteers who are learning to see Jesus reflected in the faces of one other
- stories that need telling – stories of men, women, and children surviving adversity and enriching our lives as they become our neighbors and friends
- an Affiliate Ministry of Transform Minnesota and a partner with World Relief an international humanitarian organization
History
Arrive Ministries (formerly World Relief Minnesota) was started in 1988 to address, at that time, the needs of largely Hmong, Vietnamese, Russian and Ukrainian refugees coming to Minnesota. Under the direction of Transform Minnesota (formerly GMAE), Arrive Ministries has resettled more than 11,000 refugees in Minnesota from more than 50 different countries and over 120 language groups.
Thousands of refugees arrive and resettle to Minnesota each year from more than 20 countries. Arrive Ministries is called to see these refugees, immigrants, and asylum seekers transformed economically, socially and spiritually. Our organization has historically resettled around 400 refugees annually. Moreover, each year we place more than 100 refugees in jobs, help several hundred with refugee cash assistance and provide immigration and legal services to another 1,300+ individuals. We partner with over 75 churches and hundreds of volunteers to provide tutoring, English language training, resettlement support, church refugee gardens and friendship to refugees across the metro and in greater Minnesota.
Mission
To carry out God’s command to welcome and bring lifelong transformation to refugees and immigrants in Minnesota. We accomplish our mission by providing compassionate and holistic support to uprooted people in our communities as we collaborate with churches and community members. We empower, support and encourage one another to be God’s agents of love, hope and care to our new neighbors.
Vision
To see refugees and immigrants transformed economically, socially, and spiritually, as we are transformed together by the Gospel. We accomplish our vision through authentic friendships, shared support and encouragement that result in mutual transformation. In partnership with the local church and volunteers, we help uprooted people find community, new opportunities, purpose and belonging in Minnesota.
Values
- The Example of Jesus as we serve those who are suffering from poverty and injustice, regardless of color, belief, or gender, as part of God’s plan to redeem, reconcile, and restore the world. We seek to follow Jesus by living holy, humble, and honest lives individually and corporately.
- The Local Church as a primary agent of bringing God’s peace, justice, truth and love to a broken world. The integrated “word” and “deed” dimensions of God’s mandate, as evidenced through the church’s integral, or transformational, mission are necessary to bring reconciliation and restoration to God, others, and the environment.
- People whether staff, volunteers, clients, beneficiaries, donors, and partners, as important actors in bringing peace, love, and justice. We recognize and affirm Arrive Ministries as a multicultural organization and seek to understand and respect the multiplicity of cultures among us. As we seek change in the world, we recognize that we, too, are changed, by those we serve.
- Excellence and Continuous Improvement in all our program initiatives and services, following best practices and standards in a manner that is sustainable to the community from a spiritual, social, and economic perspective. We also seek to apply our human and financial resources in such ways that maximize impact and sustain benefits to the greatest number of people.
- Empowerment by prioritizing the leadership and participation of those we serve, whether people, churches, or local institutions, as critical to creating and sustaining change. We seek to catalyze a movement of worldwide volunteers to multiply impact, and we value capacity-building as a means towards that end.
- Partnership by seeking, facilitating, and promoting collaboration among all stakeholders, including local governments, the worldwide church, mission agencies, other NGOs, and the business community, recognizing partnership as essential to serving the most vulnerable. We believe each expression of the worldwide Church has a unique and interdependent role in bringing peace and justice to the world.
- Prayer as the priority and foundation of accomplishing our mission.
Statement of Faith
- We believe the Bible to be the inspired, the only infallible, authoritative Word of God.
- We believe that there is one God, eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
- We believe in the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ, in His virgin birth, in His sinless life, in His miracles, in His vicarious and atoning death through His shed blood, in His bodily resurrection, in His ascension to the right hand of the Father, and in His personal return in power and glory.
- We believe that for the salvation of lost and sinful people, regeneration by the Holy Spirit is absolutely essential.
- We believe in the present ministry of the Holy Spirit by whose indwelling the Christian is enabled to live a godly life.
- We believe in the resurrection of both the saved and the lost; they that are saved unto the resurrection of life and they that are lost unto the resurrection of damnation.
- We believe in the spiritual unity of believers in our Lord Jesus Christ.