Saturday, February 21

And the King shall answer and say to them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it unto one of these my brethren, ye did it unto me.

Matthew 25:40

One week a year our congregation has the opportunity to put our faith into action giving supportive services to homeless persons as the 30 South Oakland Shelter (SOS) clients live in temporary housing at our church for a week. Our members work in many ways to help them feel welcome and comfortable. Whether it is providing ingredients for lunches, moving in mattresses, welcoming arrivals, serving dinner or breakfast or interacting with them in friendly conversation, there are many roles which convey our kindness and caring. Some members provide musical entertainment and some spend the night as hosts. Each morning and evening, volunteers provide transportation to and from SOS in Lathrup Village and workplaces.

Some FPC members are more comfortable using their talents in other ways, some prefer to work in the background and some are comfortable interacting with the guests. I have been involved for years coming every evening and doing art activities with the children and adults. The reactions of the guests are gratifying as they do the activities. They mention what a nice diversion this is, and show pride in their projects.

At this difficult time in their lives, they appreciate the loving kindness offered by our volunteers. One guest commented, “Thank you for kindness and love when I couldn’t get it anywhere else.” Another said, “Thank you all so very much. Your kind words and generous actions will not be forgotten. May God bless you.”

It is in service that we as Christians can put our beliefs into action. The SOS guests can experience a week surrounded by people who do their best to provide a warm, caring environment. These actions made it possible for another guest to say, “I am grateful to Mark (Grobbel) and the rest of the staff for making me smile when I thought I had lost it.”

Thank you God for helping us serve you as we reach out to others and share our talents. May we ever have a vision of how we can make a difference and help us to be ready to act upon that vision with generous spirits. Amen

Diane K. Bert