It’s a busy week for Rock City Church. When you claim to be a church that “would go to any length to tell someone that God loves them and has a plan for their life,” you can bet those words require action. This week is all about doing just that.
Tomorrow morning, a team of 14 volunteers will make an 11 hour journey to Nassau County, NY to assist Samaritan’s Purse with ongoing Hurricane Sandy recovery efforts. They will spend 3 days being the hands and feet to those still in need. 14 people dropped their holiday plans, leaving family and friends in the middle of the Christmas rush to work in the cold and show the love of Christ.
On Thursday night, Rock City will arrive at the Columbus Homeless Family Foundation with shoes and boots for those in need. We will pass out shoes and boots, do crafts, eat cake and even have a performance from THE Ohio State University Dance team. We also made the decision early last week to stand in the gap for a major shoe retailer that couldn’t provide vouchers for 150 kids this year as they normally do. Thanks to the generosity of those that call Rock City home, we are able to provide the vouchers this year. Remarkable.
On Saturday we will once again share a shoe giveaway with our friends at Weinland Elementary. There will be shoes, fun and festivities to let this community know that we love them, we care about them and Christ loves them. I can honestly say that our volunteers often get more from these opportunities to serve than anyone. We have record numbers of them signup and often outnumber those that are coming to the event.
When the dust clears from this week, Rock City Church will have donated over 450 pairs of shoes to those in need in our community. Our goal this year was 250. It is through the generosity of those that call Rock City their church (and those that have given even if they don’t) that we are able to go into our community and beyond to show the love of Christ. This is our season of Hope. It shines through the tough times. It shines through the needs. It just shines through.
“Truly He taught us to love one another….”
Aaron,
Stephen and I showed Up Friday Night Not Knowing What Really to Expect…And There Were Groups Of People EVERYWHERE Sitting All Over The Floor, And Stacks Of Boxes Of Shoes EVERYWHERE!!…Some Wrapped And Many More Needing To Be Wrapped. Katie Was The One That Pointed Us In The Direction Of Where We Needed To Go, And Supplied Us With All The Necessary Tape, Wrapping
Paper Etc. ..She Told Us, Boys Get Wrapped In This Paper, And Girls Shoes In This Paper…There Wasn’t Much Room On The Floor, So We Headed Off To The Only Counter Space Left…In The Kitchenette. We Finished Wrapping Shoes, And then It Was On To The Gift Cards For The Homeless Families Foundation. I Have To Say We Had A Good Time…But One Of The Reasons Why We Chose To Do This Was Because In 1997 Stephen And I Came Here to Columbus…with NO PLACE TO LIVE, and Knowing NOT ONE SOUL. We Ended Up After A Week At The Homeless Families Foundation…And They Were SO GOOD TO Both Stephen And I. Showing Us The Ropes Of How To Maneuver This Big city By Way Of The Cota Bus System.
They Helped Us To Find A Place To Live, And Places To Get Plugged In To Where We Weren’t Just Left To Fend For Ourselves. So Doing This Small Bit Of Shoe And Gift Card Wrapping Meant So Much To Us…As We Have Been Right Where These Families Are. And We Can Truly Relate To Having To Rely Solely On The Goodness Of God Through Churches Like Rock City . Stephen And I Are So Glad to Be A Part Of A Church Where They Actually Get Out And Make A Difference In The Lives Of People In Their Own Backyards…Not Just Talking A Good Story. We Have Seen The People At Rock City Walk Out What They Talk, And Believe..And That Is EXACTLY What I Believe God Has Called TODAY’S CHURCH To Do!!
Thanks For Answering The Call To Do What God Has Asked You To Do!!
That is a remarkable story BJ. I had no idea. It is exactly why we are so privileged to partner with great organizations that are providing hope to our city. Thank you for always being such an encouragement. Hope Stephan is feeling better soon.