Both of the above. All by and for the glory of God

Our local clothing ministry takes place the 2nd and 4th Sat. from 9:00 - noon. We are about ready to conclude our 2nd year and how awesome it is to see so many brothers and sisters from our area to come and find clothing needed for their families. We, as well, serve a free breakfast from 9:00 ntill 11:30. We are currently having an ave. of 75 people coming through the clothing ministry (who gather for their families) So we feel safe to say the ministry is helping somewhere around 200 300 - 400 people monthly with clothing and the free breakfast is available to all but ave. 100 - 150 with a nice warm breakfast.

We started a shoe box ministry. We collect shoeboxes and then fill them with drinks, easily opened food items such a snack bars and canned food items with pull tabs. With encourage those who come to church to take them and put them in their cars so when they see someone along the road in need they have something ready to share.

This year we started a lap quilting class and hold the session once a month for two hours. We have had so many of our senior citizens who have lost loved ones and with this we are gathering mostly for this time of fellowship but the end result is great fellowship for them but we then take the quilts and they are prayed over and given to people in the community who can use them.

This year as well we partned with the other Church in our charge - Scotland U.M.C. From Oct. through March we, on Tuesday evenings, cooked supper for 30 homeless at our local shelter. It is a seasonal shelter and again the ministry started as another way for our brothers and sisters to gather for fellowship and find that time together and the bonus is helping our less fortunate brothers and sisters gain a warm meal and discover God's grace that is availble to them. This has resulted in some of them discovering our free breakfast and clothing ministry.

We partner with a neighboring Lutheran church in our community with a food pantry and eac 1st Sunday of the month with take a special extra offering and contribute $500. - 750. dollars to help get those items that are so difficult for those less fortunate in our community.

 The thing seen most is not really what I am seeing in the congregation but as well what is taking place beyond Sunday morning and not just what is happening for our (God's house) church but what is taking place by those less fortunate that have been helped. Two families in particular coming and gthering boxes of food from food we gather and taking it to others in the community who they know are in need. A dear lady shared that she has lived in the community for over twenty years and by our giving her some free food she shared, "I hvae never felt so welcome in this town for over twenty years!" A grandma who is, as some would say, strapped down with a grand daughter who is will be in a wheelchair her entire life and can do nothing for herself - WOW!! She noe has someone sit with her grandaughter so she can come and worship God. She takes food and delivers it to 8 different families in need.

Through an annual financail donation from our events committee we have a place we gather a trailor (8X14) once a month full of food and deliver it to a local food pantry who cares for 600 - 1000 people monthly. 

Have I seen God's presence in His house? I share with each one from the pulpit that each morning when we arise and look into the mirror that there stand us he or she who God has created in His image. That we are His hands, His feet, His face and His voice in a world that is in such need of His presence. YES!!! I see our God in His house with all the faults, failings and sins that we each bring to this place I know He is there and he community is becoming more and more aware of what God can and what God will do.

That which is working? Letting each person memebr or not Youngest to the most senior know that we are in this together to rol up our sleeves and with whatever gifts we have use them to do the will of God.