Chad and I went to the Community Service last night for Good Friday. I looked around the room at the pastors there. I know some and am getting to know others well because I am involved in the food pantry and assistance ministry program that we do.
Our church is one of 8 area churches that pull funds and resources together for 5 areas of ministry: Food Pantry; Utility Assistance; Thrift Store; Summer Food Program (serve kids free lunches during the summer – who are on free lunches during the school year); and we have a plot of land that is a Community Garden (people purchase a plot for $5 and then they get to put a garden out, we have “master gardeners” that help them learn how to do this if they don’t have the skill set.)
Our church was one of the first to join this group. We’ve had 3 others join just this past month.
It’s amazing to watch, not just the people from various denominations (Catholic, United Methodist, Church of Christ, First Christian, A/G, another Church of Christ, Non Dom, and Lutheran) but the pastors all work well together. You can tell that they are forming bonds over time and many great things have come out of this group.
The vision started with this group of pastors. To show the community that God’s body of believers can and do work together. That we are here to serve.
Last summer they did a float in the parade. We had shelves on it and asked people in the community to bring cans for the pantry and give back. They did, but in addition to doing that, they saw all the participating churches-in their own church shirt. This was important. The idea, was again…reiterate to the community that this is a community pantry and that this co-op of churches work together.
I’m proud to be a part of this group. I was asked last year to be secretary for their board meetings and this past week I accepted the interim treasurer role. I love that God is helping me find ways to serve Him with skill sets that He is prepares me for. I’ve been working for the past year with our book keeper, learning more of her role at our church and learning Fund Accounting. I feel like it was-again-just God’s way of preparing me for this role, for this time.
It’s the coolest thing to be apart of a ministry that crosses so many denominations. What better way to say to the community that Christians aren’t petty and do care than show them that you like each other first! If you like other Christians, than they can accept you liking them easier. It becomes something that they can believe and grasp instead of feeding the negative perceptions that people have. I for one am ready to change their minds and provide proof-we can all get along!
3 comments:
That is really cool. It has to be exciting to be so closely involved with something that provides both the service and the unity that you describe.
I'ts neat to hear that churches can work together to help the community. God is using you mightily.
I love this. That is part of what I like about the ministry we work in - it's not just for one denomination or group. I just read a book speaking about the mercy generation (the younger one) that finds the acts of mercy so important in what the Kingdom of God is. You are doing great work.
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