Steve Mayo, Executive Director
Pastor Steve Mayo is president and one of the founding members of the board of Shining Light Ministries, Inc. In 2012, he stepped in to fill the role of Executive Director of the Shining Light Youth Center. Pastor Steve has been working in youth ministry since 1996, and has been serving in the city of Fitchburg since 2004 as lead pastor of the Elm Street Community Church.
Vision
This year (2024), he got the opportunity to represent Team USA in the Triathlon Long Course Age Group World Championships in Australia. He hopes this will encourage other youth and teens that this is an opportunity that they can strive towards with hard work and determination.
"There is more to being a Christian than preaching. Sometimes the best witness we can have is showing Christ through our lives, and showing His love through our actions. I thank my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for His willingness to die for me, and look to live my life for Him. The gift of eternal life that He offers is the greatest gift available. Unfortunately many of the youth we work with have been preached to so much by those not living out their faith that words often hold little meaning until Christ is seen in the life of the one sharing it. I look forward to sharing Christ through my life, and earning the opportunity to share why I do what I do when asked. May He make my life one that makes people want to know what makes me different, and may He use my life for His glory."
The vision for Shining Light Ministries started in 2003, and has blossomed and been adopted by the other members of the board through much prayer. The needs of the youth and families in Fitchburg and the Twin Cities area go far beyond what the Elm Street Community Church could offer, so the desire is for an outreach that will not only go beyond church walls, but beyond denominational affiliations.
What we're all about...
Empowering at-risk individuals through essential resources and support.
Hope Restoration
Shining Light Ministries, Inc. (SLM) is an IRS recognized 501(c)(3) whose purpose is “To minister to human need and bring hope to at-risk children, youth, adults and families in the Twin City area, by providing opportunities and resources, allowing for lives to be repaired and restored while providing a safe haven and basic necessities to those in need.”
Established in 2010, SLM began reaching out to the Elm Street Neighborhood through the Adopt-A-Block program (as developed by the LA Dream Center). This program was done in conjunction with the Elm Street Church (and potentially other churches soon), and has worked to keep the Elm Street area (and Lowe field and playground) clean, as well as reaching out to the neighbors by going door to door and helping meet the needs of the neighborhood. These have included finding furniture and clothing, providing food to families in need, and even finding people and organizations to help with utilities in a few extreme cases.
In 2012, we opened a youth center for the youth in the center of the city. We found a space that would meet some of our objectives, and opened in July of 2012. The majority of the youth who are involved in this program come from low-income, single parent/guardian homes. This center started using rented space on Putnam Street, and has moved to the Elm Street Community Church on Elm Street (where we will be expanding to add a more extensive outreach center).
Community Outreach
Programs we have partnered with in the past are the Wachusett Boxing Club and a Dance Outreach and Zumba classes that were held at the Elm Street Church. In 2014 we added our Athletic Mentoring Program (AMP), which has seen over 100 youth, teens and adults try different multisport (swim, bike, run) activities through weekly training and a summer multi-sport training camp that runs for 1-2 weeks during the summer. We have also partnered with the Fitchburg High School to run a girls strength training program during the summer. We have also added the case management and counseling for those in need.
The following are a few of our hopes for the future are the following in fall 2024-25: start a high school triathlon team; start an internet Cafe for youth and teens to have opportunities and access to computers for school and job searches; offer a cybersecurity training program for young adults; and adding a youth center in Gardner.
As Shining Light Ministries is a missional organization, some of our outreaches, such as the Youth Center, are not intrinsically Christian. We do, however, have the opportunity to show through our lives what Christian love is like, and through our relationships share Christ as opportunities arise.
Our Location
Shining Light Ministries serves the Twin Cities area, providing essential resources and support to at-risk individuals and families in need.
Address
264 Elm Street, Fitchburg, MA 01420
Hours
9 AM - 5 PM