First Church Family,
I haven’t lived here forever as some of you have, but I am amazed every day at the beauty of our surroundings. I truly believe our area is one of God’s beautiful paradises on earth. And this time of year, it is at its prettiest. Please stop every single day, admire God’s handiwork, and offer prayers of praise and gratitude.
On Saturday, November 20, we will take a big step in getting back to who we were before the COVID pandemic. We will serve 120 needful families by providing each with a “ready-to-cook” Thanksgiving meal, complete with ham, vegetables, bread, and dessert.
Our “Bless This Meal” event will mark our first major outreach experience in almost two years. It will be a “win-win” celebration for us in that we will have the opportunity to visit with and enjoy one another as we serve both Christ and our neighbors. And we need you to be a part of it.
Once again, our Benett Brittain is the master mind of our Thanksgiving outreach event. Benny worked for years for MDI and has the knowledge, vision, and contacts to lead us. All of the food has been ordered and banana boxes procured (something that was especially difficult this year.) Actually, Benny will not be able to be with us for the event because of a scheduled surgery. Please remember him in your prayers.
Our Rob Eller and Russell Beaver will be the hands and feet of leadership in Benny’s absence. They will have all of the foods ready at the church on Thursday the 18th at 4:00PM. We need a group of folks at the CLC to unload the food and set-up for Saturday morning.
Then, we will need two shifts of volunteers on Saturday, the first from 8:30AM to 10:30AM, and the second from 10:30AM to 12:30PM. Sixty families, chosen and provided vouchers by our Jennifer Crowe, a social worker at Hibriten High School, will come to pick-up food between 9:00AM and 10:30AM, and sixty more families will follow between 10:30AM and NOON. Jennifer is working with social workers in some twenty schools across the county. They have done a wonderful job.
Our Kay Lanier and her team will provide a light breakfast/brunch for both visiting families and our volunteers. We hope to encourage people who will come to pick-up meals to sit for a few minutes with us and allow us to pray with them.
And our Jamie Jones has been procuring toys for any children who might accompany their parents that morning.
The cost of a family of four is $25. We need your contributions toward this project.
God is working among us. We will communicate other ambitious plans for our church family as we move forward.
Blessings on you,
Pastor Dave