Two for the price of one. This is our newsletter for both the second and third quarter of 2017.
Recently an odd thing happened at our food pantry.
We held a Baptismal Service. An odd thing for a food pantry, but maybe not so odd for the Care Mission Food Pantry. We’ve never been an average sort of food pantry and this Baptismal Service reminded me of that fact.
We opened our doors in June 2005. In November of that same year we held our first Mission Fellowship. Our friend and pastor Tom Long was instrumental in starting this. His message on that first evening was “Holy Ground”, taken from the story of the burning bush found in Exodus
3:1 – 17. He made the point that the ground around that bush was not special, it was the presence of the Lord that made it holy. And in the same way the concrete floors of the Care Mission are holy only because the presence of the Lord is here. That night one of our clients came forward and gave her heart to the Lord. We haven’t kept count, but we know she was the first to accept Christ as her Savior at the Care Mission.
We continued to hold these monthly fellowships in one form or another for the next seven years. Then in January 2013 we began our weekly Bible Study. We call it “Jesus Study”. Currently we meet on Mondays at 6:00 PM. Not long after starting the Bible Study we had the honor of baptizing one of our clients who was attending the study. We borrowed the baptismal of a local church.
A few months ago the Lord began to impress upon me that we needed to hold a Baptismal Service. No one had come to us asking to be baptized, so why have a Baptismal Service? Only because the Holy Spirit was directing us to do so. Out of obedience we posted it on Facebook, sent out emails to our supporters, and handed out flyers, still not knowing if anyone would be
interested. This time we brought our large galvanized stock water tank/trough from home to serve as a baptismal. As it turned out a married couple who attends our Bible Study were baptized. Their pastor joined us to do the honors. God is good.
This service emphasized the importance of being obedient to the instructions of the Holy Spirit, even if we think they don’t make sense. And how important it is to not keep God in a box. God doesn’t operate within the confines of tradition or the ordinary. Nothing wrong with being baptized in a church baptismal, but nothing wrong with being baptized in a water trough at a food pantry either. Yep, come to think of it, not so odd after all…not for the Care Mission.
The need keeps growing. August was an especially busy month. Over 2,500 individuals within 787 households received food assistance in August, both record high numbers. God continues to supply the wherewithal to meet the needs.
We have an outstanding group of Volunteer Servants. We have a core group of a dozen faithful volunteers, a few have worked alongside us for a decade. It is truly amazing that these individuals are so consistent in their work for the Lord at the Care Mission when you consider the state of our society today. For too many a strong work ethic, a sense of commitment, or
the desire to help others for no other reason than to be a servant of the Lord, are no longer cherished virtues. Our volunteer servants are no less important to the success of this ministry than are monetary supporters. Obviously we cannot operate without funding, but nor can we distribute the food to those who are in need without the “hands and feet of Christ”, which are these unassuming folks who are donating the most valuable thing any of us have. Time. You may note our pleas for help now and again. Understand that as magnificent as our core group is they are not super humans. We need more who are willing to help to whatever extent they
are able. Please pray that God will send to us those who truly desire to serve.
We are continually amazed at the generosity of those who love the Lord. We’re not gonna lie. Financially this past year has been the roughest we’ve had to navigate in the 12 years of this ministry. Without the hand of God we could not have made it. Over and over again we would receive just enough support at just the right time to make it another day, another week,
another month. We know full well that it was the Holy Spirit speaking into the hearts of those who would act in faith to support the work being done here. We praise God for you who were obedient to His urging. We are confident that the same God who ordained this work will use those whom He has blessed to sustain it. Please pray for with us for provision.
The Holidays are upon us. Both of the Lafayette Edward Jones locations, the Lafayette Wal-Mart, and the Lafayette, Fort Oglethorpe, and Mission Ridge locations of Food City will be collecting non-perishable food donations for us during this Thanksgiving / Christmas Season. The same Food City Stores will be collecting monetary donations at the check-outs for us as well. The First Volunteer Bank of Lafayette just completed a food / money drive for us. Please make sure to let these folks know how much we appreciate their support.
We will be closed Thanksgiving week (Nov. 20th-24th) and Christmas week (Dec. 25th-Jan.1st) so our volunteers and we can spend time with our families.
Please pray for the Care Mission, our Board Members, volunteers, supporters, and clients.
Food for Thought
Seeing half a glass of water an optimist views the glass half full, a pessimist sees the glass half empty. But, those with a servant’s heart take the half glass of water, thank God for it, and then give it to someone who’s thirsty. While the optimist and the pessimist debate who’s right.
Happy Thanksgiving and Merry Christmas,
Deon and Kendra