Mission/ Outreach
Looking back over February traditionally known as the month of Love, Jesus reminds us in the Bible to “Love one another”.
During our mission/outreach meetings we are continually determining how we might lead our congregation to be Jesus’ hands and feet of generosity, stewardship and service- a Matthew 25 church. Simply put “put us where you want us Lord and tell us what to do!”
Links of Love! Weekly our Logos kids have been creating a paper chain heart on the downstairs bulletin board with your help- no act of love is too small to be added. Just write it on a paper link and the youth will discuss what’s written and add it to the chain.
Because of your generosity we are able to give financial help to local charitable organizations and through special offerings money for global mission. When we come to church, attend Bible Study, Sunday school or LOGOS, choir or bell choir, attend committee meetings, take care of our building, host coffee hours, plan & join fellowship activities, adopt a family for Christmas, bring new people to church, and participate as Deacons & Elders we show each other the importance of our church community.
Supplying the meal, shopping for supplies or volunteering to be a lead or overnight host for Share the Warmth shelter gets us out of our comfort zone to interact without judging the homeless men and women of our local community.
Praying is remembering, visualizing and vocalizing those who we Love and care for.
Bringing food for the pantries or blankets for the Advocacy center, supply items for College Packs- We may be a small church but with a BIG heart!
One of my favorite quotes from Mother Theresa is “We cannot all do great things but can do small things with great Love! I’ve heard Kathleen V. use some form of that quote too! Volunteers are a great treasure, every organization I come in contact with looking for them! When you give and don’t expect anything in return the rewards are truly heavenly.
I encourage you to let us know where you find your treasure in the community. We have folks at ReBicycle, driving Veterans to appointments and participating in Veterans groups locally, driving folks to doctor appointments, visiting, calling and sending cards homebound and nursing homes, delivering Meals on Wheels, baking birthday cakes for Maurice Spear campus, Lunch Buddies, preparing meals at Salvation Army, cooking or making pies for the monthly Music jam, participating in Lions, Kiwanis, Rotary, Habitat for Humanity.
So many more Links of Love than we remember or realize!! Please write them up so we can add them!
Now we move into the month of March and the Lenten season usually remembered by Jesus’ time in the wilderness with sacrifice, fasting and prayer. Focus on the true meaning of God and his guidance for our lives and the world.
Did you Know? Neighbors of Hope will be moving the food pantry Fishes & Loaves into the Blessings & More building this month. They will still collect clothing and home goods at that location Tuesday-Saturday but be more selective. Local Charitable organizations will be able to give vouchers for those in need to select from what is gathered. Blessings and More will be on Sabbatical to the general public until a new retail space is identified, Third Day Farm will also be on Sabbatical.
The new Good Neighbor Center is under renovation in what was formerly Dr. Maxwells office on Riverside Ave. Upstairs will offer out patient community services such as addition counseling, life skills, financial coaching and veterans services. Downstairs will house up to 20 men that are in recovery and on the path toward self sufficiency. Volunteers appreciated.
Habitat for Humanity of Lenawee will be moving by March 10 into the building that formerly housed the Fishes & Loaves food pantry on East Maumee across from the post office. They have a Women’s Build Project going on March 5-7 at 924 State Street- for our older members that was Terry Alpaugh’s home donated to Habitat. The Sacco family have been designated for the home, hopefully it will be finished and dedicated in April- Anthony has been the long time manager at the Habitat ReStore. A Faith Build is planned for April on an empty lot on Locust St. Calling all churches to participate. Volunteers appreciated for many projects.
Michigan Foster Care Closet- as many as 200 children have been placed in foster care in our county alone. Many times they are brought to foster parents with little but a plastic bag of stuff and on short notice. The closet gathers gently used and new pajamas, underware, socks, coats, children’s clothing baby through teen, cribs, beds & mattresses, car seats. The items are loaned to foster families and returned when done with them.
March is Reading Month: GoodWill, Lenawee County schools and local Food Pantries are teaming up. Canned and boxed food collections will be occurring in participating schools. Schools will be rewarded with books when the food donations are taken to GoodWill at the end of the month. The food will then be distributed to participating food pantries. See the flyer in this newsletter.
Boys and Girls Club: Needed school & art supplies, sports equipment and volunteers. Meals on Wheels needs volunteer drivers 263-3585
Share the Warmth had 3 guests move into permanent housing in January; still the shelter is at capacity. The need for low cost housing in Lenawee County is a significant hurdle. Some of you may remember Marsha Millard “Ma” . She passed away in February after a battle with cancer, and had moved out of the shelter into Provincial House in December. Eleven nights of overnight hosting and meals each month are available for adoption by churches or other organizations. If you have 3-4 hours available in early mornings or evenings as a fill-in or once a week, Lead hosts are needed also. Join with our church on the 4th Thursday each month to help at the shelter.
For where your treasure is, there be your heart also. Matthew 6:21