ministries

Friday Night Live at The Shondo Center provides a fun, safe place for children every Friday evening. Our goal is to offer young people a positive alternative to negative influences by engaging them in God-honoring activities that foster friendship, faith, and personal growth. Through music, food, beverages, mentorship, and Godly entertainment, we create a space where children can enjoy themselves, build character, and develop a deeper understanding of God’s love. Friday Night Live is more than just a night of fun—it’s an opportunity for kids to grow in faith and create lasting memories in a safe, supportive community.

The Shondo Center’s Mobile Food Pantry, in partnership with the Northeast Florida Food Pantry, provides free food to those in need every first Saturday of the month at 9 AM. Together, we are “Feeding America” by helping under-nourished families thrive and providing the food they need. This ministry is dedicated to supporting our community and ensuring no one goes hungry.

The Shondo Center’s Grace Closet offers free clothing and essential items once a month, providing new and gently used items for men, women, and children of all shapes and sizes. From shoes and accessories to home goods, we are committed to helping those in need with dignity and love. Remember, “Love isn’t love until you give it away,” and the Grace Closet is one way we share that love with our community.

The Shondo Center’s Nursing Home Ministry provides spiritual care to residents and staff in Jacksonville’s care facilities, bringing God’s Word and love to those unable to attend worship services. Through warm hearts and open arms, we share the Gospel, offer prayers, and provide one-on-one visits, often leading to life-changing decisions for Christ. Over the past 24 months, we’ve held around 200 services and ministered to hundreds, seeing many first-time decisions for Christ. With each visit, we ensure that no one is left untouched by the love of Jesus.

The Shondo Center’s Men and Women’s Prison Ministries bring the love of Christ to incarcerated men and women in Duval, Clay, and Baker counties, as well as at the Camp Blanding Boot Camp. Through in-prison visitations, Bible studies, and post-prison programs, we offer discipleship, counseling, job preparation, and mentorship to support individuals during and after incarceration. Guided by Matthew 25:36, we aim to help these individuals develop Christ-like character, find healing, and reintegrate into society with hope and direction for a transformed life. Our in-prison programs include a discipleship program, where CPO staff and volunteers connect in a meaningful way with inmates in Jail to facilitate developing a Christ-like character through the practical application of God’s Word. Once inmates have been released, we follow up through our Post Prison Ministry. We provide mentoring, assistance in connecting with the body of Christ, assist in the direction to vocational training, and character building. As we continue to grow, we hope to offer more outreach programs available to both men and women who have completed their time served.

Matthew 25:36

“…I was in prison and you came to visit me.”

You don’t have to be a marriage expert to make a difference in another couple’s lives. Your experiences and marriage story can bless others — all it takes is a willingness to invest. Invest in your own marriage and then take that experience and invest in others. The Shondo Center Marriage ministry aims to strengthen and enrich marriages by providing support, resources, and guidance to couples at various stages of their relationship. It focuses on building strong, Christ-centered marriages through education, fellowship, and spiritual growth. The ministries core function is : Preparation for Marriage Offering premarital counseling and education to couples preparing to marry, focusing on foundational principles and God’s design for marriage.  Strengthening Existing Marriages 
Providing ongoing support, resources, and activities for couples to deepen their bond, improve communication, and foster a healthy relationship. Fostering a deeper commitment to the marriage covenant and providing tools for navigating challenges. Encouraging couples to grow in their faith and deepen their relationship with God.  Restoring Broken Marriages Offering support and guidance to couples facing challenges or crises in their marriage, with the goal of reconciliation and healing. Contributing to the overall health and well-being of families and communities by strengthening the foundation of marriage. Promoting God’s plan for marriage and assisting couples in all stages of their relationship

The Shondo Center Dance ministry uses dance as a form of worship and praise to God. It is their way to express devotion, connect with the divine, and minister to others through movement and artistry. The Dance ministry aims to glorify God through movement, often incorporating choreography and expressive gestures. It provides a medium they use, to connect with their faith and express their spirituality through artistic expression. This ministry uses Dance to minister to the congregation, conveying messages of hope, faith, and spiritual uplifting. Their purpose is to usher in the presence of God through dance and flagging, thereby seeing people delivered, saved, healed, and made free to worship the Lord without self hindrance.

Psalm 149:3 :” Let them praise His name with dancing, making melody to Him with tambourine and lyre.”

The Shonda Center Singles ministry is here to encourage single adults to discover God’s purpose for their life as unique, complete and whole individuals through their personal relationship with HIM. The goal is to encourage and cultivate the leadership spirit in every Single Adult by stirring up their gifts and abilities to completely fulfill their purpose and potential. The Shonda Center aims to equip Single Adults with training and resources that build personal integrity, strong character and solid moral values. Our primary focus is to empower Single Adults by providing opportunities for them to make an impact within their community through service to God, themselves and others.

Psalm 37:4
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

Our Mens ministry focuses on supporting men of all ages in their faith journey. It aims to provide them with the courage to start or deepen their relationship with Christ, developing a lifestyle aligned with biblical teachings, and ultimately live a life that positively impacts those around them. The Shonda Center Mens Ministry, teaches the value of living according to God’s will, and reflecting His character in all aspects of life. This includes demonstrating qualities like humility, kindness, courage, and integrity, and taking responsibility for one’s actions and the well-being of others. The ministry is designed to cater to men of various age groups, recognizing that their needs and experiences may differ. The ministry emphasizes building a strong foundation of discipleship through studying the Bible, prayer, and actively applying Christian principles. The ministry envisions men using their faith to positively influence their families, friends, colleagues, and younger generations. 

“But as for me and my house, We will serve the Lord.”