Expanding Outreach Ministries at St. Cross
I gave someone a cookie and they cried.
I was at St. Luke’s in Long Beach with our St Cross team passing out lunches, soup, and coffee. I offered one of the guests a cookie that was clearly homemade and loosely wrapped.
The guest observed, “That looks homemade.” I confirmed, “You're right: someone from the church made this for you.” That’s when tears started to well up in their eyes. “They made it for me?” They were touched by the thoughtfulness and care, that is, the love, with which the cookie was offered. For this gentleman, it had been a long time since he had a homemade cookie. And the idea that someone baked this in their home and gave it to be given to him was a meaningful kind of connection, and it moved him to tears.
It would be easier for us to buy cookies. Easier and cheaper and more convenient. But the difference we offer in our acts of service is the love with which we give. It is the love of Christ. That is in our mission statement at St Cross: We Serve as a sign of Christ’s love. With love at the heart of our service, we are doing something radically more dynamic than simply feeding hungry stomachs. We are feeding hungry hearts. (as our Bishop likes to say).
This week we have two more opportunities to serve with St Cross. On Tuesday a group will be preparing boxed lunches at St Paul’s United Methodist Church in Redondo Beach. On Wednesday we will be facilitating a night of free laundry. Both of these have specific tasks to be done, but we need your help to bring the love. Please hold our outreach teams in your prayers, and if you can, please join them in their service.
If you would like to volunteer, contact Rev. Josh to connect with the ministry leaders.
At St. Cross we are seeking to expand our outreach ministries, to make them more accessible, more influential, and more central to our formation as Christians. The outreach committee is always reviewing and assessing what service opportunities we are creating for the church community. If you would like to share an insight or join the committee please contact Rev. Josh or one of the other committee members: Greg Bellavia, John McBane, and Jim Sullivan.
Have a great week,
Rev. Josh Paget.
