A Story: 11-26-24
“NRUMC 50th Anniversary Celebration, November 21, 2021, 10:30 Service & Lunch to Follow”

Three years ago, after NRUMC’s 50th Anniversary Celebration, I drove away with 40+ box lunches—turkey, chips, a cookie, and bottled water. I’d promised the anniversary committee that any leftover lunches would be delivered to the homeless camp at the intersection of 540 and U.S. 1 South. But when I arrived, I found the camp vacant: only abandoned shopping carts and lots of trash remained.

With a car full of box lunches, I drove to Litchford Rd and turned south. I asked the Lord to lead me to where I could drop off the lunches so I could hurry and get home. At New Hope Church Rd, I swung through the parking lot, hoping to find someone in need, but nothing appeared promising. I kept driving south.

When I passed Marbles Kids Museum, I saw people sitting on the wall at Moore Square. With several cradling plastic bags filled with belongings and some sacked out on the ground behind the wall, I pulled into a vacant parking space. Two guys saw me pop the trunk and asked about boxes. I told them to help themselves to lunch and, if they wanted, to help me place the remainder on the wall.

Five minutes later, I was driving home.

Around the New Hope Church Rd intersection, the Lord asked, “Was that hard?“ No. “Think you could do that again next Sunday?“ Ah … I guess.

Since that day, “Team Jesus” has passed out over 6,000 box lunches (without the boxes) and delivered hundreds of coats, shirts, shoes, pants, socks, long johns, underwear, sleeping bags, tarps, tents, gloves, boots, blankets, and backpacks to those in need. We’ve placed individuals in motels for the night, purchased bus fares so families could be reunited, prayed with countless individuals, baptized one in the parking lot (we used bottled water), and distributed hundreds of “Jesus Messages“ with the lunches. We’ve done all this with the help of individuals who have a heart to help those in need. Christ Church at Moore Square is a body of believers who simply want to help. There’s no building, no staff, no budget, no salary. Our only pay is the joy of the Lord and knowing that when we serve those in need we are ministering to Him.

This week, we’re hoping to deliver the deposit money to a family about to move into an apartment. We only need around $300 more to get this mother and her four kids off the street. Reaching that lowest of the low rungs on the ladder is a huge step up.

If you are looking for a reason to help in a small or large way, think on this. This is kind of “fasting“ the Lord desires: to set the oppressed free, to share food with the hungry, to shelter the poor, to clothe the naked, and to care for your flesh and blood.

When we care for those in need in this way, the Lord promises to:

• Bring healing quickly
• Cause your righteousness to be seen by all
• Answer when you call on Him
• Guide you
• Satisfy your needs
• Strengthen your body

Isaiah 58

Thanks for reading this far. Thanks to all who have helped Nekesha, LindaLeeAnn, Alan, and the countless others “see” Jesus through your acts of kindness.

We all need to hear the GOOD NEWS!! of Jesus. Some also need to see it at work in their lives. Here is a link if you wish to help put Todd Jr and his siblings in an apartment bedroom this week. – Eddie Jones, the Pirate Preacher

https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=W9RR2RL99XYWA