Serving through Front Porch Legal Clinic

Early in 2023, Grace Church Outreach opened a low-cost Legal Clinic located at Front Porch Housing. The clinic was first opened to focus on individuals seeking legal help in our Care ministries and supportive housing, but it has now been opened to the whole community. Volunteer attorneys from across multiple campuses serve by offering 45-minute consultations in areas of family law, wills, power of attorney, DSS cases, landlord/tenant issues, and more. They also connect individuals and families to other resources in the community, help them create a next-steps plan, and point them to any forms or documentation they will need.

Over the past year and a half, our volunteer attorneys have served over 70 people. A few of them shared a little about their experience serving at the legal clinic:

One Saturday I met with an older lady who had some questions about a child she had agreed to home on behalf of a friend of her daughter. In the course of talking, I learned that the child in issue was only the latest in a long list of children for whom this woman had agreed to open her home, with no expectation of either thanks or payment, and for whom this generosity was clearly a financial and legal burden. Although the meeting ended with few legal resolutions, we were able to join hands in prayer for several minutes, and by the time she left, we were both in tears and praising God for the peace he was able to provide. It was a powerful moment for me and one that continues to challenge my perspective on what it means to live sacrificially.

–Sandi Wilson, Pelham member & Clinic Volunteer Attorney

The Lord uses the diversity of experiences and personalities encountered in the clinic as constant reminders of his intercession, justice, and grace. He is the Lion and the Lamb. He is the only one who can bring true justice. He is also the only one that can bring true peace. As attorneys, we want to “fix” situations and provide perfect insight. Recognition of that sinful pride is a humbling reminder that we all need to kneel before the redeemer King who will make all things new in his own way and time.

–Andrew Price, Downtown member & Clinic Lead Attorney

We are so thankful for how God is working in and through this ministry. He is not only using the skills of our members to serve others, he is using the experience to disciple our hearts in the process.

To learn more about Front Porch Legal Clinic, as well as other ways we are seeking to serve vulnerable populations in the Upstate, click below. If you are an attorney and interested in volunteering, please email [email protected].