tbc Art of Neighboring, Community Ministry, Life of the Community

Come and See

Standing in the stairway, welcoming a neighbor into the building, our conversation follows a familiar path. “How is your family? You know I’m always going to ask you that because I know your family is important,” they say. This neighbor, despite their own complex family history and solitude living situation, consistently takes the time to ask about my loved ones. There is nothing unusually deep or unique about the conversation, yet it yields empathy and compassion. It’s the moment I see the best of my neighbor.

This is when I recognize Christ in my neighbors face. It’s this moment where we are genuinely caring for each other, that I see a more complete picture of my neighbor. This pushes me towards deeper empathy and understanding.

Holy moments happen all the time. They unfold in normal conversation, with the participants leaving knowing they were on holy ground. They don’t depend on your ability to fix or assist, but rather on simply being present and authentically engaging with others.

Amidst the holy moments on Saturday mornings, we offer a hot meal, food and clothes. Food might be the “why” that brings people into the building but it should not trump getting to know our neighbors. When we look at our neighbors with love, we see the best parts of them—we see Jesus. Come and see.

-April

Saturday, May 18, 7:30 – 11:15 a.m. We would love for you to join us on Saturday morning. There is an opportunity for everyone: signing in neighbors, cooking breakfast, assisting neighbors with shopping, restocking, organizing clothes, loading cars and of course the best opportunity of all— enjoying time with neighbors around the table. 

Please sign up and let the team know you are coming! 

https://docs.google.com/…/1FAIpQLSf4HUJAN7dD2l…/viewform

tbc Church Business, Testimonies

The gift of presence.

Sunday I received a heartbreaking call with news that a neighbor we connect with through community ministry had been found dead Saturday afternoon. This neighbor had been coming to Community Ministry for longer than my time here. He was unhomed and relied heavily on organizations like ours to provide for basic needs like food and clothing.  A few months ago, he approached us and asked if he could take a shower in our facilities. After checking the hot water and finding some towels, I showed him to the shower. I was a little hesitant, but the shower was a blessing for him and for us. One shower led to regular usage, and those showers led to longer conversations and more personal connection and care.

A week ago he requested corduroy pants to help with the cooler nights.  I hesitated—does he really need them now?  Should we wait? Maybe we could wash what he has.  Do we have enough?

Amazingly, we recently received a donation of several pairs of corduroy pants that were his exact size! So the decision was made to share what we had and address future needs later. We set them aside, clean and folded, ready for his next shower.

Saturday morning, just hours before his death, he showed up for his weekly shower. As usual, God showed up in our interactions. Following his shower, he came outside with a huge smile on his face. He expressed how much he loved this place and how grateful he was for how God was taking care of him. Tears rolled down his face as 5 or 6 volunteers talked to him and made sure that he had foods he could easily eat in the coming week.  

My last memory of our neighbor, is him walking away, food in a bag hanging from his walker, wearing new corduroy pants and a long sleeved blue shirt.  He turned around and said ‘thank you’ multiple times as he left.

God is present in the alley.
He continues to provide.
He loves each of our neighbors.

These interactions challenge me to be more present and in the moment with our neighbors. They challenge me to pay attention to where God is at work. They prompt me to examine the use of our abundant resources. They remind me God continues to provide “enough”- which is a promise I have embraced throughout the pandemic.

April 

April Kennedy
Community Minister Director

Big annual Christmas Meal Ministry to take place tomorrow (12.19.20)

December 17, 2020

Friends and Neighbors, 

This coming Saturday morning, Tabernacle will be providing over 150 families a full traditional holiday meal that they can prepare at home. These “Christmas Baskets” are an annual emphasis, and we are excited to be able to provide such a large number of meals this year. There is a possibility that this will cause a back up in the alley or on Granby St. Please bear with us. We have scheduled households to come throughout the morning and will be working hard to keep all areas clear for traffic passage. Please feel free to ask a volunteer if you need assistance. 
Due to the pandemic, the need for food in our community has greatly increased. Prior to March, our food pantry and clothing ministry was only open once a month, serving around 80 households. At this point, we are seeing as many as 130 households in one week! Each month we are giving away over 5,000 pounds of food. We are grateful to be able to provide food to neighbors in our community. 


Maybe at this point, you are interested how you can get involved?  While much of our food comes from FeedMore, the increased need has meant supplemental food must be purchased or donated to provide balanced meals.  As winter is upon us, we are also regularly asked for coats, hats, gloves, mens jeans and boots. If you’re headed to the grocery store, consider purchasing shelf stable items to add to the pantry.  If you are cleaning out your lightly used winter gear, consider donating it to our clothing closet. These can be dropped off on Saturday mornings from 8-11am, we’d love to say “thank you” in person.  We would also welcome you to join us in a number of volunteer roles.  Finally, if you would like to financially support the work that we are doing to feed local households, checks can be written to Tabernacle Baptist Church, with Community Ministry in the notes. 


Please stop by and say hi on a Saturday morning. The volunteers see so many of you out walking dogs that treats have been purchased to share. 
Merry Christmas!