Members of the South Acton Congregational Church wanted to offer some relief for that undertaking, and formed a ministry -- the "SACC Movers" -- to help those people facing a move.

"Moving is not an easy task and almost no one likes it," said Jim Willis, the chief organizer in the group and the person who started the ministry about 30 years ago. "We try to take away some of the pain and suffering of the transition."

"As a former member of SACC, I helped move others for 20 years or more. Then, life changed, and I was the movee," said Kate Baker Tilton who now lives in California. "For my move from Acton to Fitchburg, a record number of SACC movers showed up. They loaded my furniture onto the truck, teased me, hugged me, made me laugh, and posed for a group photo which still hangs on our wall. What could have been a bittersweet day was instead a day of laughter and friendship, a wonderful beginning of a different life. Nothing was broken. Nothing was damaged. My bed was set up and made with fresh sheets. Six years later, I moved again. Unfortunately, I couldn't sign the SACC Movers up for a week long, cross country commitment."

According to Willis, there can be anywhere between five and fifteen people that show up the day of the move. He usually has no trouble finding volunteers because it is not a long-term commitment.

"People can show up for a few hours or for the day, pitch in, do some physical work, then go home, and feel good about it," said Willis. The 'movee' does the packing and has everything ready the day of the move -- which is always scheduled on a Saturday. Then the team comes in with a truck, rain or shine, and takes care of getting the contents of the old home to the new home. The movees are in charge of telling the volunteers where to place the boxes, but are discouraged from doing the actual lifting.

"They are already tired from all the packing they have done, exhausted from living in the chaos, and dreading the unpacking they are facing, so we want them to get some rest when they can," Willis explained.

The team sometimes even makes the bed before they leave. The movees reimburse the cost of the truck rental (if they can afford it) and usually offer a donation that goes to the church's general fund. The ministry team has received donations from between $50 to $2,000.

This "Moving Ministry" services both members and non-members. They usually only tackle moves that are less than 15 miles; otherwise most of the time is spent driving back and forth. They have moved the contents of several members' houses from one side of Acton to the other, helped friends of members, helped members of neighboring churches, and have even been called upon by the social services organization in the town.

Willis recalls being contacted by a local social services agency. They had a single mom, who had delivered a baby just two days before. Social Services had found the woman a place to live, but she had no local connections and no money. The Moving Ministry team took over. Some of the team did the moving while others brought food and took care of the single mom and her child while they were there. The woman never came to the church but Willis met her many years later. She came up to him and said she wanted him to know how much that day meant to her. Although she now had a good job, and her family was doing well, she would never forget what it meant to have someone to help her. It made it feel like she had a family.

"The SACC Movers even moved me, one week after I started working at the church," said Rev. Katrina Wuensch. "It was a snowy, awful day in December. I was exhausted, nervous, and wondering what it would be like to have these relative strangers -- my new congregation! -- enter my home at this vulnerable time of transition. Of course, it was wonderful. Jim knows exactly what to do after so many years of overseeing the moves. Folks showed up with coffee and freshly baked muffins. There was so much laughter and energy. Everyone was so respectful and careful. The SACC Movers turned what could have been a lonely, tiring day into an experience of community and grace. It's a day that I'll never forget!"

"This ministry brings people together and provide a necessary service," Willis said. "Not only that, it's fun, it's outreach, and it's fellowship."

Jim Willis can be reached through the church office at (978) 263-2332 or info@southactoncc.org.

You may reprint this story by including the following line in your article:
"Source: Massachusetts Conference, United Church of Christ, www.macucc.org/spotlight"

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Members of the South Acton Congregational Church wanted to offer some relief for that undertaking, and formed a ministry -- the "SACC Movers" -- to help those people facing a move.

"Moving is not an easy task and almost no one likes it," said Jim Willis, the chief organizer in the group and the person who started the ministry about 30 years ago. "We try to take away some of the pain and suffering of the transition."

"As a former member of SACC, I helped move others for 20 years or more. Then, life changed, and I was the movee," said Kate Baker Tilton who now lives in California. "For my move from Acton to Fitchburg, a record number of SACC movers showed up. They loaded my furniture onto the truck, teased me, hugged me, made me laugh, and posed for a group photo which still hangs on our wall. What could have been a bittersweet day was instead a day of laughter and friendship, a wonderful beginning of a different life. Nothing was broken. Nothing was damaged. My bed was set up and made with fresh sheets. Six years later, I moved again. Unfortunately, I couldn't sign the SACC Movers up for a week long, cross country commitment."

According to Willis, there can be anywhere between five and fifteen people that show up the day of the move. He usually has no trouble finding volunteers because it is not a long-term commitment.

"People can show up for a few hours or for the day, pitch in, do some physical work, then go home, and feel good about it," said Willis. The 'movee' does the packing and has everything ready the day of the move -- which is always scheduled on a Saturday. Then the team comes in with a truck, rain or shine, and takes care of getting the contents of the old home to the new home. The movees are in charge of telling the volunteers where to place the boxes, but are discouraged from doing the actual lifting.

"They are already tired from all the packing they have done, exhausted from living in the chaos, and dreading the unpacking they are facing, so we want them to get some rest when they can," Willis explained.

The team sometimes even makes the bed before they leave. The movees reimburse the cost of the truck rental (if they can afford it) and usually offer a donation that goes to the church's general fund. The ministry team has received donations from between $50 to $2,000.

This "Moving Ministry" services both members and non-members. They usually only tackle moves that are less than 15 miles; otherwise most of the time is spent driving back and forth. They have moved the contents of several members' houses from one side of Acton to the other, helped friends of members, helped members of neighboring churches, and have even been called upon by the social services organization in the town.

Willis recalls being contacted by a local social services agency. They had a single mom, who had delivered a baby just two days before. Social Services had found the woman a place to live, but she had no local connections and no money. The Moving Ministry team took over. Some of the team did the moving while others brought food and took care of the single mom and her child while they were there. The woman never came to the church but Willis met her many years later. She came up to him and said she wanted him to know how much that day meant to her. Although she now had a good job, and her family was doing well, she would never forget what it meant to have someone to help her. It made it feel like she had a family.

"The SACC Movers even moved me, one week after I started working at the church," said Rev. Katrina Wuensch. "It was a snowy, awful day in December. I was exhausted, nervous, and wondering what it would be like to have these relative strangers -- my new congregation! -- enter my home at this vulnerable time of transition. Of course, it was wonderful. Jim knows exactly what to do after so many years of overseeing the moves. Folks showed up with coffee and freshly baked muffins. There was so much laughter and energy. Everyone was so respectful and careful. The SACC Movers turned what could have been a lonely, tiring day into an experience of community and grace. It's a day that I'll never forget!"

"This ministry brings people together and provide a necessary service," Willis said. "Not only that, it's fun, it's outreach, and it's fellowship."

Jim Willis can be reached through the church office at (978) 263-2332 or info@southactoncc.org.

You may reprint this story by including the following line in your article:
"Source: Massachusetts Conference, United Church of Christ, www.macucc.org/spotlight"

• Talk with others about how God is Still Speaking at your church. Send us your story at spotlight@macucc.org. Suggest to others that they subscribe to Spotlight.
• Forward this email to your members.