By Stephen Smoot
Serving the community can take many forms. For example, Jesus fed the multitudes from a basket of bread and fishes. He preached the Gospel, comforted and healed the afflicted, but also told the truth about salvation and what it takes to achieve it.
Last week, North Fork Baptist Church and Eastern Action teamed up to do a maximum amount of good through different forms of service, both godly and earthly.
The day started at noon with a community lunch hosted by the church. People came from up and down the North Fork Valley and also from across the mountain to join.
Pastor Mike Clements started off by leading all who came in “a beautiful, beautiful old hymn,” well-known to all, “The Old Rugged Cross.” Almost all joined in as the pastor delivered the hymn in a rich baritone as 10 ladies and gentlemen made the final preparations for the lunch.
After the song concluded, Clements stated, “We’re excited that you are here” because “we get to share Jesus with you also.”
Next, Linda Hedrick rose to deliver a message of praise and hope. She said, “Jesus came for us sinners,” then added, “Salvation is for you today, not tomorrow, not next week. We are not guaranteed tomorrow.”
Hedrick then quoted from 2 Corinthians 6:2, saying, “Behold, now is the day of salvation.” She added, “How do I know it’s for everyone? John 3:16 says whosoever believeth in me shall not perish.”
Clements then spoke again, explaining that “our church has recently been learning about salvation.” He stated that “it’s not a checklist. It’s a relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ.” Those seeking salvation can take comfort in the fact that “every single one of us… has fallen short of the glory of God.”
Hedrick concluded the pre-lunch message through speaking of the cup described in Matthew 26:39, which reads that Jesus “fell on His face, and prayed, saying O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt.”
She went on to use the cup of agony served to Christ as a metaphor for the cup of struggle that each person must partake. “We all have our struggles,” She shared, listing “finances, family, health.” Then she paused briefly and added, “addiction.”
“God knows about your life struggles,” she implored, and went on to say “God was with Jesus and God is here with you.”
Clements then informed all that the church had a closet of clothes for anyone in need. He invited attendees to bring clothes to donate or take clothes as needed.
Lunch consisted of fried chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans, sliced and buttered Italian bread, applesauce, and a variety of desserts.
In the parking lot outside, as attendees concluded their meal, representatives from different social service agencies welcomed those in need.
Becky Yokum from Eastern Action greeted those who approached the trailer with big smiles and sometimes also happy hugs. Her agency sought to help different groups, including veterans in need of assistance and anyone in need of pantry staples for home.
The agency also offered information on weatherization assistance for homes.
“One of the most important reasons we are here is food and fellowship,” Yokum shared. She handed clear bags loaded with items such as noodles, apple juice, cans of vegetables, and more. Yokum also stated that “our veterans program is amazing.”
From the Pendleton County Family Resource Center in Franklin came its executive director, Edna Mullenax. The FRC offers support for families struggling with the challenges life often brings to the door.
Sometimes the challenge is that a family cannot afford basics for a child, so the table Mullenax manned offered a number of children’s books and other items. It also had brochures for working parents or guardians needing childcare and transportation assistance, as well as for drug recovery, suicide prevention, and more.
Serena Redman, a State Opioid Response Family Coordinator for Potomac Highlands Guild, shared that “I’m bringing some behavioral health resources.” That included a nearly 40-page guide listing agencies and programs operating throughout the region.
She added that her presence was part of greater efforts to combat problems specific to rural areas, explaining that despite the significant differences in culture in the Potomac Highlands areas, many problems cross those political and cultural boundaries and desperately need attention and support.
