Being the Hands + Feet: A Church's Heart to Serve
One of the biggest blessings we’ve been given as a ministry is in our relationships with churches throughout the state. Lately in Oxford, we’ve seen volunteers from East Centre Baptist Church (ECBC) be the hands and feet of Jesus to our children and families in care, as well as to our staff!
Senior Pastor of ECBC, Chip Smith, is admittedly very intentional in his leadership, to point his church’s congregation to give with their time and talents, not just their finances. He says, “There’s a big hole in the gospel that we preach. We say the right things and a lot of times we’ll give financially. But I see our Lord’s plan to be that we really be the hands and feet of Jesus . . . When I first came here, I began to prayerfully ask God to open some doors for us and to give the people here a heart for some ministries—ministries that we could support not only financially, but more importantly, that we could actually use our hands and do something for our Lord.”
GETTING CONNECTED
After visiting Open House in Oxford one December with fellow church members, Chip knew he wanted the church to get involved: “I think for all of us, when we toured the home and met the house parents and staff from the Oxford office, it was impressed on our hearts to serve . . . [You] are doing the good work for the Lord. You’re good stewards. We were very impressed because the home is nicer than most of our homes, as it should be!”
LOVE LIVED OUT
Since connecting with us, they’ve certainly served faithfully! In addition to their kids raising over $300 for our ministry during VBS, they have helped with lawn work, deep cleaning, and showing our kids generosity and thoughtfulness. Area Director for Northeast Alabama Amber Albright says, “I’m grateful for ECBC, for their commitment and dedication to ABCH in Oxford.
They have not only taken the time to do simple things, like mow the grass or deep clean the house, but they have thought about the kids in care and have truly shown what it means to be the hands and feet of Jesus . . . We appreciate everything East Centre Baptist Church does for us and truly feel they are superheroes to our ministry!”
Chip says the call on their hearts to serve is something the church has truly run with. A group of ladies threw a cookie and ice cream party for the kids, and for Christmas, they came alongside the kids to help them with the call on their own hearts—serving their parents. He says, “The house parents shared with us that the year before, they took a couple of kids Christmas shopping to the dollar store and instead of buying gifts for themselves, they all wanted to buy gifts for their parents. The ladies at ECBC did a church-wide event where we got plastic balls and filled them with gifts, as well as gift cards to shop for their parents with!”
SERVING AT CAMP
This year when Chip heard we needed volunteers for Camp of Champions, he was ecstatic to come and to bring members from his church too! “Our guys drove golf carts and our women served as meal-time hosts. We came away once again, just blown away . . . One thing one of my senior adults said was, ‘Did you notice how respectful those kids were?’ We talked about that on the way home, and I said, ‘You know, you’re right. I never saw a kid have a meltdown. I always heard yes and no sir. They were very polite, very well-mannered kids.’
That impressed the folks that went on that trip even more.” When we asked about the impact serving our children in care has had on members from his church, Chip said, “I think by working with the Children’s Homes, it’s made them more sensitive and has given them Christ-like compassion.”
ECBC’s partnership has been invaluable, and we are so grateful for the difference they are making in our kids and families!