You never know what a simple act of kindness can do for someone’s day or how it can impact their life! Every week our Simple Service team goes out to different parts of Hoboken to do a small act of kindness for the people of our city. It can be something as simple as handing out a water bottle on a hot summer day or a granola bar at the Path while people are on their way to work and maybe didn’t get a chance to eat breakfast that morning. We sat down with Igor, who is one of the leaders of the Simple Service team, to find out more about what they do.

With each food or beverage item the team hands out, they also give a card that is guaranteed to make people smile, such as a cute picture of a dog with glasses saying, “You Got This!” The back of the card says, “We hope that our small gift brightens your day and makes you smile. We believe that people were meant to love the way that God loves us, and we want to do that in any way we can.” It also shares a little bit about Hoboken Grace and where they can find us!

Igor’s favorite part about this whole experience is when he sees people reading the card after their interaction, maybe learning for the first time God’s love for them, being reminded of that, and even potentially checking out Hoboken Grace.

It is amazing to see how God is working through our Simple Service team and in the lives of those we reach! The team has been reaching over 1,000 people every week! Their goal is to reach 100,000 for the year! You never know what seeds you can plant in someone’s life by going out of your way to show love and kindness to a stranger and for them to know that God is loving and pursuing them as well. One of our staff members, Rachel, who has been with us for over 10 years, joined Hoboken Grace after being approached by someone on the Simple Service team who offered her a granola bar and a card on her way to work. It is incredible how something as simple as a friendly smile, a granola bar, and a card could lead someone to know God!

Recently, the Simple Service team has also started going to local Hoboken events like Movies Under the Stars, to give people free popcorn, Oreos, and many other goodies! Igor has shared that it has been a great opportunity for kids to see God’s love.

People are usually surprised, and very grateful when they get something for free without asking for anything in return. Sometimes these short interactions simply end with a smile, while other times it leads to something more. Igor has experienced some people opening up and sharing about their faith, others asking questions about Hoboken Grace, and God has even opened doors for Igor to be able to pray for others. Simple Service hopes to live out one of the goals of Hoboken Grace, which is to help people to find their way back to God. We want people to know that God loves them and is for them.

Currently, there are 15 people on the team, but they are growing and always looking for new people to serve alongside them! If you feel a nudge to join this team and make an impact in our city, we’d be happy to talk to you about it!