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Back to School

Posted by in Church & Missions

My church has been without a pastor for the past year and a half; the Director of Missions of our association has been our Transitional Pastor. The time between pastors doesn’t have to be one of merely marking time; it can be a period for reflection, vision setting, new ministries, and even growth. I am completely sold on the concept of a church having a strategic interim (Intentional Interim or Transitional Pastor).

One example of this is the Back to School event we held a couple of weeks ago. Before I let Meredreth tell the story in her own words, I want to point out a few things: Southwood has always been a very generous church in terms of giving toward ministry, but not always a congregation that does ministry. This event was planned and executed in about four weeks. The idea came from the laity. A decision was made early on to limit the participation of the youth; not because their help wasn’t wanted or appreciated, but because a goal was to demonstrate to adults of all ages that everyone can be involved in reaching the community, not just the teens.

All ages of adults stepped up: from the 20-somethings to the senior adults. That alone was exciting and worth the effort: we really can be about the work God has for us, even when we’re looking for a pastor.

The rest of the story you can read in Meredreth’s own words:

For over six months, twenty or so of our church body’s leadership met on Wednesday nights participating in the grueling process of “transition”. As an intermediary step in filling our empty pastorate, the members voted to enlist the assistance of a transition pastor and begin the probe into our church’s ailing body to assess and diagnose the status of our strengths and benefits. As we began to summarize our efforts and begin the implementation process, a few of us began seeking and praying for a specific mission and vision for our church.

Four of us met over dinner and began to hash out ideas for ministry not only with the platform of the church but as individuals called to carry out God’s vision for our own lives. Our conversation evolved around various thoughts, needs, and desires. We began to discuss what needs were pertinent to people living in the communities surrounding our church. One contributing to the conversation suggested we hold a school supply give away. We discussed further and thought of the methods in which we could not only meet this need but use the gift of school supplies to spread the gospel in a very direct and intentional way.

In only a few weeks of planning, the four of us put together a blueprint for a massive event that could mobilize our entire church into a cumulative act of ministry. With the direction of the Holy Spirit, I was able to assemble a willing and visionary ministry team of 10 people and present to the church a motion to set aside 10,000 dollars for the event. Our goal was to provide school supplies for five hundred children. Our church has an average total attendance of less than 250; efforts like this rarely occur, let alone in such a short time span.

Still somewhat hesitant regarding the volunteerism of the congregation and the unpredictable response of the community, we pressed on with our plans with fervent spirit and a sense of urgency. Our ministry team consisted of dedicated and committed workers. Each one applied great sincerity and determination in making their designated area successful. We met together only two times prior to the event. I know that many rightly thought us crazy to attempt such an undertaking in only 35 short days. With the recruitment of our ministry team, we secured over 140 adult volunteers for our Back to School Event. Quite a showing for a church that averages 165 adults in Sunday School.

I spent several nervous nights prior to the event letting the destructive thoughts of the deceiver keep me awake. What if no one shows up to receive the supplies, I stewed. The church people will be disappointed, disdain over wasted funds will prevail their attitudes. The ministry team will have exhausted themselves over a worthless effort. The last night, as I checked our event’s website site meter one last time, our website was giving an error message. Panic struck me as I anxiously tried to fix it. My heart was racing, my mind was swirling …. And then as we all know how God works, a peace that only he can give graced my spirit. The stillness of His voice told me graciously, you have done all that you can do, you have to leave the rest up to me. Trust me. And I did.

Like a child on Christmas morning, I popped out of bed an hour before the alarm, raced to get ready and headed to the church two hours ahead of when our volunteers were to arrive and three hours before the start of the event. I couldn’t believe it. There were already twenty people standing outside. An hour before the event, people lined the entire side of our church and wrapped around toward the back of the church. An estimated 300 people were already waiting when we opened the front doors.

An hour into the event we had given out 400 sets of school supplies and there were still many people coming. I told our safety and security team to start counting back in the line to let people know that there may not be enough supplies, but the people kept coming. Two hours into the event we had only 40 tickets left for supplies and there were easily 150 people waiting in the sanctuary. We filled the sanctuary two more times and no one left with out school supplies, in fact we had ten bags left over. I truly believe it was a modern day loaves and fishes experience.

We had other services available to the community during the event. Free hair cuts were provided to seventy children. 51 children received immunizations. 100 children received hearing screenings. Hundreds received free toothbrushes and dental floss. All of the kids were able to participate in fun activities as well as enjoying refreshments.

The best I’ve saved for last. Every single person that came through our church that Saturday heard the gospel. Every single family was prayed with on that day. I assumed that many would be offended, put out or even angered that we would request such participation from them. But our response was much the opposite. There were a few that obviously did not care for the prayer but the gospel tells us that the word is like a pungent odor to the lost but we can carry the sweet fragrance of salvation to those who are willing to accept it. In much contrast to those who were repelled many more soaked up the words of salvation and comfort. We had at least ten who received Christ at the event. And many more who felt the true love of Jesus through the act of ministry that special day.

The words of one of our guests, most appropriately saw God’s work that day as she told a volunteer, “I never have been one much for church or for God, but today I have seen what church is truly all about.”

Meredreth is a wife, mom, small group bible study leader, and a public health nurse. She blogs regularly at Mere’s Musings.