Still Tooting That Horn...
As many of you commented -- on and off line -- the Disaster Relief Agency is not our only well run charity. I know of two dozen or more that are very worthy and there have to be many times that number I haven't heard of yet. When it can be so easy to attack our church for this and that (and I have done that a few times) we need to remember that it is the body of Christ and is doing much good.
Give examples from your own personal knowledge. The Rochester church has a warehouse that distributes food and clothing to people all over the Detroit Metro area. Here are a few sentences from their last report, received today:
" In 2005, we assisted 3,389 families (13,274 individuals) and disgtributed 184,690 pounds of food... we had 650 volunteers... 2005 proved to be a year of breaking records and so far in 2006 we are breaking even more records. In January we helped 300 families which is our biggest January ever. We really need to remain focused in 2006. We need to remember why we exist. We are not helping to feed and clothe people for our own glory but for the glory of God."
A few other churches help support this work and we are grateful to them. Brian and Lisa Cain, who run this work tirelessly, began it after the loss of their son. He was born with birth defects and they slowly and surely took his life. Rather than retreating, they moved forward and, with their two sons -- one profoundly handicapped -- they serve food, supply groceries, and manage a wearhouse full of good quality clothes, books, toys, and kitchen essentials to give to any who have need.
Brag about your brothers and sisters. Tell each other about God's Helping Hands (the charity I've been talking about here), the Disaster Relief Fund, Predisan and so many other good things done in the Name of Christ. We don't hesitate to point out problems. Let's take some time to rejoice at the good that is being done and at the fact that Jesus is getting the glory for it.
To God be the glory!
posted by PatrickMead @ 2/04/2006 04:09:00 PM
4 Comments
4 Comments:
Amen to that Patrick!
Can I brag about them as long as I'm typing with just my right hand? So my left hand doesn't know about it?
Or is that just when I'm bragging about me!?!?
Seems to me that if I'm bragging about somebody else who is letting Christ work through them, then I'm just relating the ongoing story of Jesus. Right?
We are beginning a ministry called Angel Food Ministry. It is ongoing around the country and started, I believe, in Georgia.
You take orders from anyone for a box of grocies priced at $25.00. For that, you get meat, eggs, vegetables, bread and pasta. It changes each month but for that amount a family of four can eat well for a week. Senior citizens can eat for a whole month. There is no application, no search to see if you qualify.
The church in our area started out with 25 orders and now take over 500 orders each month. We are joining in that work and hoping to reach many lower income families that we can help in other ways as well. We plan to even support many families with whatever of the $25.00 they can manage and help them with the rest.
Just one way to reach out to the community.
I'm ashamed that I can't remember the name of the church we are helping in the Gulf States, but it is a large church of Christ that had just built a new building prior to the storm, as it happened it was one of the few buildings that didn't sustain damage and became a lifeline for some of the hardest hit areas. We contributed towards their efforts as did many churches of Christ I know well over the million mark. There is another work in Trenton, NJ called Feed the Hungry that is an outreach to the poor and homeless that the churches in our area support. I wish I could quote statistics but I don't have a report sitting on my desk. There are others, such as a children's home called Timothy Hill that we join in supporting with other churches of Christ. I wish that we were able to do more as a congregation in our community, our pantry is feeding maybe a half a dozen families. Our congregation has a membership of about 180 but I think there is more we could do. Your congregation is an inspiration, maybe we will grow up and be like yours someday.
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