Community Effort

from The Christian Outlook May/June

by The Pentecostal Assembles of The World - The Christian Outlook

Full Circle

COMMUNITY

FOOD DISTRIBUTION & COVID-19 TESTING

CTC Glory of the Latter House Ministries has hosted a food pantry for over twenty years. A pillar of hope in a community that needs a river of Living Waters flowing through it for growth in this community as well as those in need in neighboring communities.

Due to the foundation set by the late Pastor Jinks Arnold and the continued work and dedication of Pastor Donna M. Arnold this food pantry has been recognized near and far in the city of Chicago. CTC has strong partnerships with the Greater Chicago Food Depository, Whole Foods and other sources for healthy, fresh food. Since the COVID-19 pandemic struck the world many food pantries ceased to operate. CTC’s food pantry has worked tirelessly throughout the pandemic even offering personal protective equipment, i.e. masks, gloves and hand sanitizer as well as COVID-19 testing onsite during the pantry hours. Due to the closing of many pantries CTC has seen the number of needy persons increase dramatically.

In addition to providing food, PPE and COVID-19 testing, CTC spreads the GOOD NEWS to every person who receives natural gifts from CTC. They also receive PRAYER and the WORD of GOD. Pastor Donna has a mantra – ‘Prayer changes things….’ She strongly believes in the power of prayer and lives accordingly. During the CTC daily prayer call, on Wednesdays, a time is set aside to pray for the pantry, specifically the leader, the volunteers and those who are in need. It is a pleasure to serve God’s people and meet their needs in the spirit of love, ‘the most excellent way.’ (1 Corinthians 12:21)

FOOD DISTRIBUTION

The year 2020 will be a memorable year for many Nashville, Tennesseans. It was filled with a lot of devastation and loss. Nashville was hit by a tornado a year ago and many people lost property and lives. Businesses were destroyed and people were without food and shelter. Overnight the homeless population doubled. The Greater Christ Temple (GCT) Outreach Team stepped up to meet the needs of the community. Food baskets were distributed to those in need and business owners donated gift cards to distribute to those affected. Two weeks later before anyone had a chance to recover, the pandemic broke out. There have been about 8,000 active cases in the metro Nashville area alone and about 400 deaths.

These events have devasted many families. The GCT Outreach Team follows the model of our Pastor, Bishop Sherman L. Merritt, Sr. by increasing availability and sacrificing both time and money to serve the community. Some of our efforts include “Soup for Souls,” where we provide the homeless communities with hot meals. The GCT food pantry partnered with Second Harvest Food Bank to provide food baskets containing nonperishable items to those affected by the pandemic. The GCT Outreach Team sponsored another event during the Christmas season, “Each One Reach One,” where every member of GCT took a bag containing food, clothing, and water, and passed them out to anyone with a hardship in the community. Greater Christ Temple has kept its doors open to provide an encouraging word and to strengthen families by offering outdoor services and live streaming. During this year of uncertainty, GCT has been there to offer love, support, food, gift cards, clothing, prayer, and the Word of God. All praises belong to God. His hands are at work through us.

COMMUNITY EFFORT

COVID-19 TESTING

In response to the pandemic, Apostolic Faith Church in Chicago, under the leadership of Bishop Horace and First Lady Susan Smith has hosted free COVID-19 testing for their community and have begun a weekly food distribution that is open to anyone facing food insecurity. These efforts are a part of the church’s efforts to inform with facts, encourage people with the Word of God and to involve everyone with love. In the past year, thousands of families have been served and the church’s outreach efforts have received the attention of local media and the Mayor of Chicago. Bishop Smith has told the congregation that the weekly food distribution, which is supported by the sacrificial giving of both members and supporters, will continue as long as the need persists.

FOOD DISTRIBUTION

At Labor of Love Apostolic Church, we focus on saving our community. We help them not only spiritually but physically. We give boxes of food to families in need. We like to feed them physically so that it may be their choice to get fed spiritually. Of course, we could not do this without the generous donations of Apostolic Faith Church with Bishop Horace E. Smith, M.D.

We don’t ask the people to sign, show documentation or identification to prove who they are or what community they live in. Our real hope is to provide anyone with a soul some food. We want them to know and feel that it is a blessing from God!

The Volunteers of Labor of Love Apostolic church touch and agree that we want the people to feel like they can go somewhere and not be judged about who they are, where they live, or how they live. Putting Jesus Christ first as we start off with prayer, we reach out to these people on 79th in the Southshore community, “on the 9.” It has to be the Holy Spirit that holds us up on these corners twice a week. Dealing with different attitudes and mental disorders is not easy but we do it with love. When we can, we take boxes of food to some of the mommas and big mommas who can’t make it to the corner to carry a box of food back home. We feed the community every Wednesday and Saturday.

Since this pandemic era, we have seen a big need for food. The community has shown their appreciation. We rent a U-Haul truck, some men come and help us move the boxes from the truck to tables. Some promise to come to service on Sunday, and some have shown up. Since we started giving, we have been receiving souls; we’ve had four baptisms. We also see the difference in how our community thinks now. One lady said, “Because of this church my refrigerator stays with food.” Another man said, “I got a lot of kids to feed and this is right on time; God is good.” When we hear these responses, we feel in our hearts we are doing the works of Our Father.

THE INTERNATIONAL MISSIONARY

& CHRISTIAN WOMEN IN THE 21st Century By Dr. Charlotte M. Parker want to take a moment and reflect on one of the great women of Pentecost who labored to help make this Auxiliary what it is today. I recently read an article that stated women’s ministry is I our ancestors. I believe the legacy and its credibility will be around for years to come. In fact, the IMCWA has established an annual scholarship award in her name to encourage women to excel in their local churches, state Councils, and to be involved in their communities. almost nonexistent in large church organizations. In most Upon prayerful consideration, I discovered that mixing cases, the author meant that traditional, event-driven traditional with new innovative programming would programs are in some way, becoming extinct. However, uniquely set the stage for the 21st Century. Therefore, I can assure you that women’s ministry programming is the IMCWA is planning to provide courses to enhance still alive and doing well! women spiritually, mentally, and physically. It is our vision to see the 21st Century women completely whole According to the Bible, there isn’t anything in Scripture and enabled to impact society. We have and hope to that I can recall that tells us that a church organization mentor judges, doctors, nurses, lawyers, teachers, must have a specific program called a women’s ministry; entrepreneurs, bankers, counselors, councilwomen, however, that’s what most people think of when they homemakers, pastors, ministers, and most every field hear that term. Ministry among women can and should needed for life and godliness. We plan to involve our occur in a variety of ways. Millennials and utilize the skills God has blessed them with. The IMCWA women of the 21st Century “is” We should see how God is in the business of overturning moving forward in ministry. Ministry is working to help power structures that oppose what He has allowed to someone else, whether spiritually or naturally. help form His people. Those who oppose leadership roles for women in these “End Times” are treading John 9:4 We must work the works of Him Who sent Me dangerous territory. The fact that we are women does and be busy with His business while it is daylight; night not make us a different kind of Christian, but it does is coming on, when no man can work. makes us another type of woman—empowered. I hope that every woman who serves God has accepted the Dr. Charlotte M. Parker is the wife of call that He has for every one of our lives. We would all Suffragan Bishop Leon Parker. She is agree that the pressures from cultural shifts in gender the mother of five children. She and relations, generational preferences, economics, and Suffragan Bishop Parker established Zion politics are reshaping how we should do ministry in the Apostolic Church in 1985, and have 21st Century. continued as the Pastor and First Lady. She currently serves as the President of As the President of the International Missionary and the International Missionary and Christian Christian Women’s Auxiliary (IMCWA) of the Pentecostal Women’s Auxiliary (IMCWA) of the Pentecostal Assemblies Assemblies of the World, Inc. (PAW), I want to take a of the World, Inc. (PAW) Texas State Council - Diocesan moment and reflect on those who labored to help make Bishop Richard E. Young this Auxiliary what it is today. I will highlight Dr. Erma Jean Bowers, who dedicated her life to education so she could help others to become “BETTER” educated than