As I walk around the church facilities it is quiet. The ministries that once occupied these rooms are on hold and it is painfully quiet to me. You might say that the church is ‘on hold’ because of this pandemic but that is far from the truth. Times like this really show us that the church truly is the people not a building. From our Sunday morning online services, Zoom and group calls Sunday morning Sunday School, Wednesday night online bible study, and the many ministries going on around our community and our world, our church is very much alive. Our people are quarantined but they are still active and involved in their church. You are calling and checking on others like never before. Our SERVE Team has been very active in reaching out to the different ministries in our community and making the needs of these ministries known to our church and out church has responded very well.
This past Saturday was our first Food Relief (food give-away). We saw over 60 families and gave away 120 bags of groceries. Saturday, April 25th will be our next opportunity to touch people in our community with another Food Relief. We will be giving out bags of groceries from 10 am -Noon, or until the bags are gone. We have delivered over 40 cases of bottled water and hygiene item to the Salvation Army. We have supplied the River City Church hygiene items and bleach to be used in their “Clean Machine” ministry which allows the homeless to shower and wash clothes. We have supplied the Forest Park Ministry Center with peanut butter and jelly and have replanted their garden and even expanded the garden. We also have several construction projects that are helping to improve ministries in our community. We are feeding hospital personnel every week at a local hospital. There are many more individual projects that many in our church are a part of. All of this are projects that you are making possible and supplying items for. Thank you SERVE team for what you are doing.
We also have received funds for the Mississippi storm victims and the family in our area that recently lost their home to fire. These funds will be distributed this week.
During all that is going on and the fact that we cannot meet together, you have been faithful. You have supported your church with your tithes and offerings and with items that we have ask for. Our church has been faithful. We will continue to let you know what is needed as we continue to minister to our community. I have said this before, but it is so true. We might not be gathering here at Eastern Hills each week, but We are Still the church. We are truly being the hands and feet of Christ during this difficult time. We pray that it will not be long before we can be back together again. I really miss ya’ll
James 2:26 “For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.”
Pastor Dan