By Vickie Crabtree of Hot Springs, Arkansas, USA
Shun youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.
Several years ago, it seemed that every church was starting a food pantry or clothes closet for those in need. Our church looked at those possibilities, but we decided we could not sustain it. Our people had willing hearts and expendable money, but not the time to devote to such an endeavor since most were still working forty hours a week.
Our clever Outreach Team figured out a way for us to be Jesus’ hands and feet in our community in other ways. Leader Tracy contacted the local non-profit organizations in our city and asked, “What can we do to help you?” Every organization had a ready response.
Jackson House is a Methodist non-profit that provides lunch meals to the homeless. They also supplement groceries for families who find they have more “month left than money.” Jackson House needed help keeping its staples on the shelf: peanut butter, grape jelly, and boxed macaroni and cheese. Tracy set up a schedule for us to collect those items every month that started with a J: January, June, and July. At the end of each of those months, Tracy would deliver a carload of the needed staples to Jackson House.
Samaritan Men’s Shelter needed socks and gloves. Potter’s Clay, a refuge for battered women and children, needed diapers and women’s feminine hygiene products.
The Charitable Ministries Clinic was started by retired doctors and dentists to provide free health care two days a week. Their facilitator had a list of churches that would provide supper for the health care workers on those nights. Many churches bought store-bought meals: fried chicken, hamburgers, pizza, etc. The clinic was delighted when our church women provided a home-cooked buffet.
Prayer Phrase
“Bear one another’s burdens…” (Galatians 6:2).
Spiritual Hunger
Jesus discerned hungers of body and spirit, and he fed them through a physical, verbal, spiritual ministry of presence. In a time of listening prayer, ask God to help you discern physical or spiritual hungers of people in your congregation, community, and global family. Invite the Spirit to move you to one hospitable act that “feeds” someone’s hunger today.
Today’s Prayer for Peace
Engage in a daily practice of praying for peace in our world. Click here to read today’s prayer and be part of this practice of peace.