Find Hope, Healing, and Purpose This Lent—Join The Rescue Project
As we enter the season of Lent, we are invited to pause, reflect, and draw closer to Jesus. And this year, we have an incredible opportunity to do just that through The Rescue Project.
So, what is it?
Simply put, The Rescue Project is an experience of the Gospel—one that’s surrounded by good food, meaningful conversation, and prayer.
Over eight weeks, we’ll journey together to discover a powerful and compelling way of seeing reality through biblical lenses.
It will help us make sense of the struggles we face, why things go wrong when they do, and—most importantly—why, even in the hardest moments of life, we don’t have to be anxious, afraid, or fall into despair.
We call it The Rescue Project because that is exactly what God has done for us—He has come to rescue us. And we believe that hearing this message in a fresh, concentrated, and beautiful way is one of the most important things we can do.
Now, you might be wondering—who is this for?
The short answer: everyone.
Whether you’ve been walking with Jesus for years or you’re not even sure what you believe, The Rescue Project is for you.
Maybe you’re in a season of suffering, grief, or confusion, searching for peace, comfort, or answers.
Or maybe you’re simply looking for a way to deepen your faith and see Mass and the Sacraments in a whole new light.
Curious about how The Rescue Project can transform your faith? Hear from John as he shares his personal journey. Watch John’s story below.
His experience is just one example of many of how The Rescue Project can open hearts and deepen faith. Will you take the next step and see what it can do for you?
We will be gathering every Thursday evening during Lent at 6:30pm, starting March 6th, in the Parish Life Center at Our Lady of Mercy. And yes, there will be delicious, free food!
Families with children are more than welcome—we have something special for them, too. While the adults dive into The Rescue Project, the children will have their own experience, learning about the Gospel in a way that makes sense to them. They’ll sing to Jesus, learn how to pray in the Adoration Chapel, and enjoy structured playtime and a free dinner as well.
So, if you’ve been looking for a way to grow this Lent—if you’re searching for peace, purpose, or simply a deeper understanding of God’s love for you—then come.
Join us for The Rescue Project. Come hungry, come open, and come ready to encounter Jesus in a new way.
We can’t wait to journey with you. See you Thursday!
_________
For questions, reach out to zara@olmercy.com or call 331-797-5381.
FURTHER DETAILS ABOUT THE RESCUE PROJECT
"𝘐 𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘔𝘢𝘴𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘸. 𝘐 𝘨𝘰 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰, 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘐 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘨𝘰."
"𝘐'𝘮 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘥, 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘐'𝘷𝘦 𝘕𝘌𝘝𝘌𝘙 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘥 𝘑𝘦𝘴𝘶𝘴 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘥 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴."
"𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘙𝘦𝘴𝘤𝘶𝘦 𝘗𝘳𝘰𝘫𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘶𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘐'𝘷𝘦 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘰𝘳 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘰𝘧."
"𝘐 𝘤𝘢𝘯'𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘱𝘶𝘵 𝘪𝘵 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘥𝘴, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘰𝘥𝘢𝘺 𝘐 𝘢𝘮 𝘢 𝘊𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘢𝘯 𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘢 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘱𝘶𝘳𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘢𝘴 𝘢 𝘴𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘎𝘰𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘣𝘳𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘧 𝘊𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘐 𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘭𝘪𝘱 𝘢𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘢 𝘧𝘦𝘸 𝘺𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘴 𝘢𝘨𝘰."
— Feedback from people who have discovered The Story at The Rescue Project
"𝘐'𝘮 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘥, 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘐'𝘷𝘦 𝘕𝘌𝘝𝘌𝘙 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘥 𝘑𝘦𝘴𝘶𝘴 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘥 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴."
"𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘙𝘦𝘴𝘤𝘶𝘦 𝘗𝘳𝘰𝘫𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘶𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘐'𝘷𝘦 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘰𝘳 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘰𝘧."
"𝘐 𝘤𝘢𝘯'𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘱𝘶𝘵 𝘪𝘵 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘥𝘴, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘰𝘥𝘢𝘺 𝘐 𝘢𝘮 𝘢 𝘊𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘢𝘯 𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘢 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘱𝘶𝘳𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘢𝘴 𝘢 𝘴𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘎𝘰𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘣𝘳𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘧 𝘊𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘐 𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘭𝘪𝘱 𝘢𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘢 𝘧𝘦𝘸 𝘺𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘴 𝘢𝘨𝘰."
— Feedback from people who have discovered The Story at The Rescue Project
𝟭𝟬 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗰𝘂𝗲 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗜𝘀 𝗙𝗼𝗿 𝗬𝗼𝘂
- Perhaps you would like to resonate with some of the feedback mentioned above.
- If you are experiencing OR think of the Christian faith as a mere set of rules and disciplines.
- If going to Mass is boring or attending a Church service is more a habit (a check the box) than something you feel a need to participate in.
- If Jesus is only a figure in ancient history for you.
- If you have been walking with Jesus for years and love Him.
- If you want to experience the gospel surrounded by good food, conversation, and prayer.
- If you want to experience beauty, authentic humanity, and accompaniment.
- If you want to go into a deeper dive into your relationship with Jesus this Lent.
- If you are at juncture in life and are uncertain of what to do next.
- If you don't know Jesus, want to know Him and recognize being known by Him.
Sometimes all one has to do is watch or read the news and you're slammed with so much awful news and you shake your head and think why everything is so messed up right now? The Rescue Project helps to answer this question and what if anything is God doing about it.
What is it?
Simply put, the Rescue Project is an experience of the gospel surrounded by food, conversation and prayer.
It seeks to proclaim the gospel in a compelling and attractive way over eight weeks in a small group format. This experience is imbued with beauty, authentic humanity, and accompaniment.
Why Rescue?
We passionately believe that the most urgent task is the compelling proclamation of the gospel, one that not only shares it in an attractive – and concentrated – way, but that also offers people a way of seeing reality, and of making sense of the world, history, and life that is vastly different from the story our modern culture tells.
Until this happens, the Christian faith is often experienced as a mere set of rules and disciplines, and simply going to Church isn’t likely to lead a person to embark on the great adventure that is following Jesus and continuing His mission of the rescuing of this world.
We don’t think most people have ever heard the gospel.
Who is it for?
The Rescue Project is for anyone and everyone! It appeals to those who have been walking with Jesus for years, as well as those for whom Jesus is only a figure in ancient history.
Oh, and by the way it’s free!
When Is It Held?
Thursday evenings during Lent at 6:30pm in the Parish Life Center (PLC).
The gatherings will take place on 3/6, 3/13, 3/20, 3/27, 4/3, 4/10, and 4/12 (Saturday Morning Retreat). There will be no gathering during Holy Week. We will resume for our final meeting on Thursday, 4/24.
A quick note on the small groups....
We will have the following small groups. If you have a preference for any of these small groups, please indicate this on your registration under "Seating Preference"
- Young adults (18 through 35)
- Spanish Group
- Let us choose for you
Still not sure about investing in your relationship with Jesus at The Rescue Project? Perhaps watching the first talk may help you to decide.
What to expect?
An experience of the gospel
The Rescue project is an experience of the gospel surrounded by conversation, food, and prayer over eight weeks in a small group format.
First up,
there's a Meal
Whether it’s a group of friends gathered around a kitchen table or a quick catch-up over coffee and cake, having a meal has a way of bringing people together. It’s no different at the Rescue Project. We start with a meal, because it’s a great way to encourage community and get to know each other.
Then a
Episode
The Rescue Project episodes focus on preaching the gospel with a provocative and compelling approach. Generally, 25 minutes long, with each episode building on the other.
Followed by
Conversation
Probably the most important part of the evening–is the chance to share thoughts and ideas on the topic and simply discuss it in a small group. There’s no obligation to say anything. And there’s nothing you can’t say. It’s an opportunity to hear from others and contribute your own perspective in an honest, friendly, and open environment.
FAQs
Do I have to talk and share my thoughts?
No. You may remain silent the entire time if you wish.
How long is a weekly gathering?
The Rescue Project gatherings last 2 hours. They go by quickly. We start on time and always end on time.
Is there a cost?
There is no cost, the Rescue Project is free!
I am coming and will not know anybody else. Is that normal?
Yes. Most people come to our gatherings without knowing anybody else. By the end of it, most people become good friends. The Rescue Project is a great way to meet new people.
What if I go for a week or two and don’t want to continue?
We encourage you to give it a try for three weeks, if after then you still do not want to continue, no worries. We will not call you or bother you if you don’t come back.
Is childcare available?
Yes, we offer free childcare.
I have more questions. Who do I contact?
Questions can be directed to Zara @ 331-707-5381 or email us
Can I invite a friend?
Yes, definitely! Share the graphic below with them along with this website.
How Can I Invite Others?
Rescued people, rescue people.
Consider your Circle of Influence: who has God put in your life who would benefit from hearing the extraordinary news? Invite them to the life-changing experience that is the Rescue Project.
Consider your Circle of Influence: who has God put in your life who would benefit from hearing the extraordinary news? Invite them to the life-changing experience that is the Rescue Project.
Here are helpful tips on how to invite others.
Stop Before You Start
Pause and pray. Ask God who you should invite. We have the opportunity to partner with the Holy Spirit in the conversations that He’s already having with the people around us.
Customize the Invitation
In the Bible, Jesus interacted with different people differently. There was no “one-size fits all” conversation. Consider what you know about the past experiences, hesitations, frustrations, and hopes of the person you are going to invite. By taking the time to understand the individual, you increase the chance they’ll say yes to your invitation.
Be Specific and Direct
We often invite people to something without them really knowing it’s an invitation. Consider how many times plans have been made to “hang out sometime” with someone, and it’s never happened. Asking a yes or no question will get a yes or no answer. Provide specific details so they can make an informed decision.
Top Tip: Avoid starting with a vague inquiry like “Are you doing anything Thursday night?” Those questions put people on guard and can lead to resentment if they feel backed into a corner. They may prefer to do nothing than join you... and that’s ok! Instead, just ask if they would like to join you at The Rescue Project on Thursday night.
If I… Would You…?
When it comes to inviting, simplicity is best. Rather than having a long, complex conversation that ends in a suggestion, try a series of direct interactions that are clear and concise using the “If I… Would You” framework.
“If I sent you the trailer for The Rescue Project, would you watch it and share your thoughts with me?”
“If I go to The Rescue Project on Thursday nights during Lent, would you consider going together?”
“If I go to The Rescue Project on Thursday nights during Lent, would you consider going together?”
Top Tip: Start Small. People are more likely to say yes to an invitation that requires a minimal commitment. Consider how you can move through stages of invitation from exploring the idea to experiencing it for themselves.
Don’t Get Discouraged
A ‘no’ is not necessarily the end of the opportunity. People may say no for a number of reasons, and most of them will have nothing to do with you as a person! Accept the ‘no’ with grace and revisit step 2, considering if there is a different way to approach the individual. Maintaining the relationship is key, so demonstrate that you care more about them than getting a yes from them.
Top Tip: If you get a “no,” don’t be afraid to ask, “Why?” No is often used as a protective measure when someone doesn’t have all of the information they need to move forward. If you know the 'Why' you can be a part of the solution
