On June 12, 2011
Following a six week focus on being the hands and feet of Jesus, almost 1,000 adults teens and children from First Church took part in our DO SOMETHING all church outreach. It was a beautiful day and teams of people wearing t-shirts with big yellow exclamation points bearing the words Do Something: Make Your Life Count were seen all over the community...making their life count.
Parks and organizations were cleaned and landscaped, fire hydrants and buildings were painted, lunches were served to senior citizens and individuals with disabilities, cars were washed, gas was pumped, and sports equipment, hygiene, household, and humane society items were collected to be given to those in need.
IF YOU LIKE NUMBERS!
- 1,000 box lunches were assembled
- Over 73 gallons of paint were used
- Approximately 500 perennials were planted
- 100 letters were written to armed service men and women
- 1,122 gallons of gas were pumped
- 589 tray favors were made for nursing home meals
- Over 9 tons of electronics were collected (120 computers and 75 TVs)
- 2,300 lbs of paper and cardboard were collected for recycle
JENNY FRY SHARES
I am so grateful to the 50 project leaders who joyfully accepted the responsibility for almost 80 different projects. Because of your organization, commitment and example God’s light shone so bright in our community. I can’t express enough thanks to the few First Church staff who supported DO SOMETHING with their front line verbal and written communication.
Because of you our community understands the heart of First Church. There aren’t words to begin to convey my appreciation to the planning team who gave hundreds of hours of their time to make the vision of this God sized outreach a reality. Your passion and excitement to run with God as He led us on this wild ride has been a great joy!
First Church is blessed to be led by a pastor who listens to God’s whispers and truly understands the meaning of “faith without action is not faith at all.” God told you to “do something” and almost 1,000 of your congregation heard God’s prompt and stepped out in obedience to follow! Lastly, as another area pastor put it, “A sacred thank you to our God who designed us to act this way.”
Collectively we served 4,516 hours for our DO SOMETHING outreach through June 18! This leaves a balance of 45,484 hours to serve before June 12, 2012. I know that for many of you volunteering is part of your lifestyle and it will be exciting to see all the places that individuals from First Church are involved in serving our community. Some are just beginning to experience the great sense of purpose that comes from giving your time to serve others.
We hope that you will take the time to record your hours this year. Go to our home page and find the “clock hours” link. There is a very simple form to fill in each time you serve. It will automatically add your hours to our total. If you do not have online capability then use the tear off on the worship bulletin and let us know that way.
It is truly a privilege to serve with all of you at First Church and I look forward with excitement to the next big adventure that God has planned for us, as well as the little ways that He invites us to reach out to each other and our community and share His amazing love!
Jenny Fry
Missional Outreach Director
A HUGE THANK YOU
Thank you to the following businesses for all of your generosity and support to our community as you partnered with First Church to DO SOMETHING!
- Culby’s Landscape Materials
- The Cleaning Authority
- Lowes Home Improvement Store
- Twixwood Nursery
- Priebe’s Creative Woodworking
- Sherwin Williams Paint and Wallpaper Store
COMMENTS FROM OUR COMMUNTIY
Maria Houseal Johnston, Director Birthright, St. Joseph
“On June 12, the First Church of God sent out hundreds of volunteers into the community to DO SOMETHING for others. Here at Birthright, we benefited from their generous action as they weeded, planted flowers, replaced trees, and even re-sealed the parking lot. Not only did they do fine work, they did it with a smile and cheerfulness. They did not preach their faith; they lived their faith and were shining examples of God’s love.
We are truly grateful to have such wonderful, giving neighbors in our community, and from the bottom of our hearts, we thank you!”
John Reed & All, Director at Consequential Minds Drop-In
“Thank you very much for staining our handicapped ramp and for a wonderful meal. Great workers and very good cooks are in your congregation. It helps us a great deal in spirit.”
An 82 year old St. Joseph Township Resident (sent by Pat Moody)
“What a nice surprise and gift to the community that the members and friends of First Church of God extended yesterday during the church’s DO SOMETHING event. My vehicle was one of the many to have been “treated” to a free car wash. Not only was the car wash done in a truly professional manner, but in fact, there was no donation basket, hand out of church literature, etc...it indeed was FREE.
I had intended to make a donation to whatever the church’s cause might be….so I am instead forwarding a contribution to the “shoes and safe drinking water program for people in developing nations” mentioned in Pat Moody’s June 11, MailMax publication.
I also witnessed a number of other of the project workers as I drove through town. They were painting fire hydrants and working on the landscape at the Whirlpool fountain area. All of these volunteers had a look of enthusiasm about themselves while they were extending their time and efforts. What a fantastic church outreach program!”
A woman speaking to volunteers picking up her TV to recycle
“I’ve been searching for a church that cares about people, and if this isn’t caring, I don’t know what is.”
KC Gast, Trustee Samaritan Counseling Center
“Capital improvements are just not in our budget. But imagine the joy we felt when the First Church of God offered to paint the exterior of our office this past weekend – as a gift! Almost 1,000 people from First Church were in many locations this past Sunday, putting their faith into action, showing some genuine leadership in our community. The Bible say in James, chapter 2 that faith without action is not faith at all. These people get it, and what a difference it makes.
The team members who worked at our building this past Sunday were kids, adults, and seniors, and they all worked very hard. And we could never repay them (not that they would expect this) except to promise to follow their example and redouble our efforts to continue to serve this community. Our thanks to First Church!”
Bob Braman, Senior Pastor First Congregational Church, St. Joseph
“In an era when churches of all kinds are the objects of criticism – sometimes justifiably so, other times not – it is refreshing to read in this paper three recent stories on churches doing what churches do best: Acting the way God created people to act. First, the amazing outreach of First Church of God, selflessly serving in ways that are inside and outside of the box with their DO SOMETHING project. Their hundreds have touched people all around the community.
A sacred thank you to the people of these three churches. A sacred thank you to all who are intent on bringing wholeness to our world. A sacred thank you to our God who designed us to act this way.”