Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash
I say it every time I can. I have always wanted our church to be known more for our service than for our services. I want us to be known as people who serve more than people who hold events.
This month, I’m calling for us all to join together in works of service for an entire month, and I’m not even making it all that difficult for us.
There are four basic projects we will be working on this month:
Project 1 (Now): Masks, Socks, and Underwear
At this time, the homeless community of Lafayette is facing incredible difficulty. Even though the weather is fairly nice, the pandemic has made life additionally hard for them. Of particular need is disposable and in some cases non-disposable masks considering that a person can’t even enter a grocery store or a food bank without a mask on these days. Of course, socks and underwear are also a perpetual need at each shelter.
So for our first project, this week, I’m asking you to purchase packets of socks and underwear and to also make or buy as many masks as you can and bring them to our building Sunday morning. We’ll have people there as early as 9am, so you’ll have plenty of time to return home for the livestream or if you want to stay for the broadcast, you are welcome to do that too.
Project 2: Your Neighbors
During the following week, I’m encouraging you to find some tangible ways to be a blessing to one or more of your neighbors. Drop off a vase of flowers with a note with your email/phone/facebook and let them know you want to get to know them better even though face-to-face is weird. Spontaneously offer to rake someone’s yard if the leaves are down yet. Order a pizza but have it delivered to someone else’s house. Or even just walk around your neighborhood picking up trash and praying for your neighbors.
Project 3: The Church’s Neighbors (Prayer)
On the third Sunday of the month (9/20), we will be gathering in the evening (6pm) for a time of worship and prayer at the church building. Then, that following week, I want us all to physically drive out to one of the neighborhoods near our church building (whenever you can), get out of the car, walk around and pray for the people who live there. When you do, take a notebook and write down whatever comes to mind regarding the needs of the people there and let me know what you see. The more we know about the needs of our neighbors, the better we can serve them.
Project 4: The Church’s Neighbors (Action)
The last Sunday of September, we will do one of our “Service Sundays” based on what people have learned during Project 3. We might rake leaves, fix a flat tire, weed a lawn, pick up trash or more, and then we will convene at the church building at noon to have an outdoor BBQ together.
Times are so weird these days that it’s really tempting to just be focused on ourselves, but we live in a hurting world right now, and I know that Jesus is the answer. He’s the answer for you and me, and he will give us the strength and the joy to be part of the answer for other people too.
September is going to be a great month.