REACHING OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY
We believe the church exists not simply for its own sake, but to be the hands and feet of Christ in the world. At Brookhaven Christian Church, we have identified ministry partners in our local community and established a two way connection with them. We continually seek to develop an understanding of what is most needed for our ministry partners and to work together in meeting those needs. Outreach is one way that we live out our mission at BCC to "Connect - Serve - Grow."
Your Help Needed for Food Drive
For the next several weeks, BCC and other Disciples churches in Georgia will participate in a food drive to support families in need in the Wilkinson County area, which is near our Disciples Camp Christian. Because the Disciples summer camping program has been canceled, Camp Oasis, which serves children in this community, will not be taking place. In lieu of camp and in recognition of the extraordinary financial hardships that many of these families are facing, the regional Disciples church has organized this drive. The boxes will be delivered to families the weekend of June 27.
But let’s face it. Times are different now and we can’t do things the way we’ve always done them. So here is the plan for this project:
-
Because grocery shopping is so difficult, we do not want the burden of shopping to fall heavily on anyone. So we are asking everyone who wants to contribute to commit to providing either a full box or ½ box. If you choose ½ box you will be paired with someone from the congregation so that you can decide who’s purchasing what. If you feel that you can only make a financial contribution, we will make an effort to find a shopper to purchase or order the items.
-
You have several weeks – till June 21 – to get your items and fill a box. Whether you have been relying on delivery, curbside pickup, or shopping yourself, this will hopefully give you enough time to find these grocery items.
-
Because we are not able to have a “packing party” please place all your items in a box and bring to the church between 9 am and 1 pm on Sunday, June 14 or Sunday, June 21. If you absolutely cannot find a box, we will have some on hand at the church. If you are missing an item or two from the box, bring it anyway with a note inside indicating what’s missing.
-
Last, but most important, if you plan to participate in this project please email Kathy McDowell ASAP at kathymcdee@gmail.com. Because there are many logistics issues related to this project, the sooner we know who’s participating, the better.
-
Here is the list of items to be included in each box. And thank you for caring about families facing food insecurity this summer!
Canned vegetable – 6
Beans (canned or dry) – 2
Canned meal (stew, ravioli, etc) – 4
Canned meat (tuna, salmon, chicken, etc) – 2
Ramen noodles/soup – 8
Rice 5 lb bag – 1
Peanut Butter – 1
Pasta – 4
Pasta sauce – 4
Apple sauce – 1
Pack of fruit or pudding cup – 1
Box of Cereal -- 1
Pancake Mix/Pop Tart – 1
Syrup/Jelly – 1
Please consider including a couple of other nutritious snacks, etc. such as fruit cups, snacks, trail mix, or your favorite. All items should be non-perishable.
June Outreach Project
Our June outreach focus will be Mission Angeles in Puerto Cortez, Honduras. Like many countries across the globe, Honduras also has been hit with the coronavirus. The school we support, Kinder Tara, like schools in the US, has worked hard to keep the children engaged and learning. Our support will help fund the salary of the teacher in this program.
There will be a special offering during our streamed worship service on June 14, but you can give any time during June through the Givelify app, using Paypal on the BCC website, or by mailing a check to the church. Just make sure you indicate your gift is for “Mission Angeles.” This is the 22nd year we have supported Mission Angeles, which offers early childhood education, as well as access to immunizations, nutrition, and parent education to a very underserved population.
July Outreach
Looking ahead to July, Beth Williams is already leading the charge on the backpack/school supply project. We will be doing this differently this year – pre-ordering in bulk already packed backpacks with a standard type of school supply content. Although we won’t be doing a packing event (and sending everyone out to buy stuff), the good news is that the cost per filled backpack is only about $12! We haven't figured out yet WHO is going to get these packs, but we have no doubt that the need will be plentiful. Stay tuned!