 Even the Homeless Have A Home With God
Trinity Church Outreach Team Answers God's Call to Fellowship
by Cara Pardise, Member of Trinity Church Northborough
The Outreach ministry team of Trinity Church Northborough began questioning God's calling for them. God answered, "Worcester Fellowship!" and Outreach went into action.
The partnership between one of Trinity's five ministry teams and "Worcester Fellowship" -- an organization that ministers to the homeless -- began with the notion that the eight Outreach members wanted to do more than meet, pray and disperse checks. Upon reaching that decision, team leaders took a trip to a church service of a different kind.
Worcester Fellowship is dedicated to ending isolation through spiritual care and community. Its pastors, Mary Eaton and Elizabeth Magill, created the street ministry out of their own desire to do more and be more present to those in need. Their church has no walls, no roof, but together with their congregation of homeless and transitional people, they preach, sing hymns, serve communion and pray on the grounds of City Hall in Worcester each Sunday.
After attending one of these powerful services, the outreach team knew they found a calling. They brought their enthusiasm back to the rest of the congregation and began a partnership that revived our own spirit.
Every third Sunday of the month, different members or groups from Trinity deliver a full lunch to the members of Worcester Fellowship's congregation. The members from Trinity provide all the ingredients, make the lunches, take part in the Worcester Fellowship service, and distribute the lunch afterward. Lunch usually consists of sandwiches, chips, a juice box, and a granola bar or snack, but we've also provided lunches that have offered ice cream or watermelon in the summer and chicken stew or other hot meals in the winter. It's more than just providing lunch though; the real benefit of this ministry is in the relationships that we're building between members of both congregations and in the message that God loves everyone regardless of their circumstances.
Sometimes we also collect and distribute socks, Dunkin Donuts gift cards, hats & gloves, thermal underwear, or anything else that members of Worcester Fellowship might need. When we first began this ministry, we were distributing about 40 lunches. Lately, we've been serving over 100 lunches. It's great to see Worcester Fellowship growing; unfortunately this growth is a measure of the difficult economic times and the ever increasing number of homeless in the Worcester area.
Although this partnership started out just between Trinity's Outreach ministry team and Worcester Fellowship, it has grown to where the whole church is involved. Individual families, groups of families, and almost every group from our congregation have provided the lunches and have gone to Worship with members of Worcester Fellowship. As few as 4, and as many as 20 people from Trinity have been involved at different times. Luckily there never seems to be a shortage of volunteers!
I have also volunteered. I did not know there would be snow falling, wind chill factors in the negatives, and breath that froze on my scarf. Luckily we drove in a warm car, decked out in our latest outerwear, sipping hot coffee. I told myself we were doing a good deed by providing hot soup, warm sandwiches, cocoa and socks to those desperate for relief from the weather and the streets.
What I did not know was that God had plans for us, too. As I jumped up and down to keep warm, the members of the congregation began to trickle in. One woman told of sleeping under the bridge that last night, but wanted to celebrate her 50th birthday. Another celebrated 30 days of sobriety. Another prayed for the child he would not know. A voice celebrated friendship that saved her from suicide.
I could not see her because of my tears.
On another winter day, the collection plate was passed and there was some money. The homeless congregation decided to buy lunch for those in the shelters. They had nothing and gave what little they had. Ultimately, I saw that what they did have was God's grace.
When we first approached our congregation about partnering with Worcester Fellowship, there was very little hesitation. We have quickly come to realize that the commitment of our financial resources and our gift of time and talents to those in our community who are less fortunate than us, is how God is Speaking to us. One of the members of the Outreach ministry team who has been involved with Outreach for many years said: "it finally feels like we are really making a difference in peoples lives."
Bob Laman, the Outreach Chairman, said to me: "My involvement with Worcester Fellowship has changed my life. I never would have guessed that I'd be standing in a snow bank, worshiping with the homeless, and handing out socks and a sandwich to people I'm now honored to call friends. I heard God's call where I least expected it, and I'm glad I listened."
The Outreach ministry team's decision to get out and get involved provided spiritual tutelage for those giving AND for those receiving. The partnership is thriving -- and so is Trinity's spirit!
For more specific information about Worcester Fellowship, contact one the founders, Rev. Elizabeth Magill pastorliz@worcesterfellowship.org, 508-450-0431, or Mary Eaton pastormary@worcesterfellowship.org, 617-216-3250. For more specific information about Trinity's involvement, contact Bob Laman lamanb@verizion.net, 508-393-8156.
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