by MaryJo McNeill & Meredith Day

SAN DIEGO - Chaplain Marc DiConti is well aware of the need for ministry partnerships.

At Blender Memorial Chapel (also known as South Mesa) on Camp Pendleton, DiConti and a small staff are working to meet the needs of as many of the base's 60,000 residents as possible. With such a large population, the transient nature of people on base (including chaplains) and an ever-decreasing budget, military chapels can easily get overloaded without support from partnering organizations, DiConti said.

"We chaplains come and go every two years. Outside organizations offer stability we can't bring," he explained.

On May 28, South Mesa Chapel and some new partners came together to create a memorial prayer garden in front of the chapel. Volunteers from Horizon Presbyterian Church in Phoenix worked with California Southern Baptist Convention's Generation Church in Oceanside as an expression of Faith in Action Xtreme, an effort to meet five of the greatest needs - determined by Vision San Diego staff - in San Diego County. The garden will be dedicated July 13 as "a place to remember God's provision."

Throughout 2009, local churches and volunteers will engage with San Diegans through areas of impact, including mentoring, tutoring, elder care, foster care assistance and military outreach.

The process of determining those five needs opened doors with local leaders and officials that have helped greatly in identifying specific projects, said Eric Lewis, Vision San Diego's military ministry leader.

"If you've ever tried to minister on a military base, you know that it is often very difficult to work directly with military members," Lewis said. "Through Faith in Action Xtreme, we're experiencing unprecedented openness in the community, as local churches partner with chapels on base to meet the needs of military families."

Later this summer, churches in San Diego and Orange County will have the opportunity to partner again with Camp Pendleton chapels, as they plan Vacation Bible Schools for children living on the base.

The other Faith in Action Xtreme areas of impact also are experiencing an influx of volunteers and local church engagement this summer. In June, volunteers from Fellowship in the Pass Church in Beaumont worked with Barabbas Road Church in La Jolla and New Seasons Church in Spring Valley to reach out to elderly residents. They offered free carpet cleaning and painting services, visited with residents at an assisted living facility, and began to build relationships in the community that will extend the reach of local churches working to cultivate an external focus.

"We thank God for the volunteers who are serving in San Diego this year," said Anne Decker, Vision San Diego's director of partnership and mobilization. "They're working in the name of our local churches and church plants, and helping them establish connections that they can build on beyond these specific projects."

There are many opportunities for individuals and churches interested in ministry in San Diego, even after this summer, Decker noted. Along with military and elder care initiatives, local volunteers are already serving as tutors and mentors.

Visiting volunteers can serve by planning group outings for local children, offering help to a San Diego school for a week, or preparing care packages for teachers and students.

The foster care emphasis also offers opportunities for volunteers - groups from Oregon and Arizona already have engaged by refurbishing foster care group homes in San Diego.

For more information on becoming involved, or for details on any of the five areas of need, visit www.visionsandiego.com/xtreme or contact Vision San Diego at 877-817-4777.