Alexis Baptist Church has
responded in the past couple years with specific ministries to meet community
needs that involve members “reaching out at home.”
Recognizing they are
“bombarded with requests” prompted by needs created by wars, disasters, and by
people suffering without basic necessities, church members decided they would
no longer overlook the suffering of neighbors “in their own backyard.”
Alexis has begun an ongoing
home missions project to find and meet needs of those around the church. Since
they started the project last year, members have met needs “from the most
basic, to the most drastic,” according to church member Rebecca Rebels.
“The Alexis family
understands there are things in this life that cause reasons people cannot
accomplish things on their own, whether it be from lack of money, lack of
skills or lack of assistance,” said Rebels in a story provided to the Biblical
Recorder.
The church built a growing
list of volunteers with a variety of talents who are following the Great
Commission to go and tell, and they are telling and showing by going
and caring.
Volunteers have remodeled
and repaired a kitchen, a bathroom and an entire mobile home that was damaged
by renters’ dogs.
They have replaced steps,
repaired decks, painted storage buildings and garages. They’ve repaired gutters
and downspouts to direct water away from home foundations.
Others have had handrails installed
or entire wheelchair ramps. They have cleaned decks, built walkways, repaired
roofs and installed storm windows. They have built a turtle box, a dog entrance
and a bunk bed.
Together they have repaired,
rebuilt and installed playground equipment, cubbies and book
storage for a preschool. They have even stepped up as a well-honed,
well-equipped team and built a home.
“From the simple to the
extensive, nothing has been too difficult when it comes to caring for our
neighbors,” said Rebels.
“Our Lord instructed us to
take care of the poor and the widows. He instructed us to minister to those in
need.
“The faithful at Alexis have
taken that to heart to show our neighbors the love and compassion of Jesus, our
Lord and King.”
This ongoing community care
“snowballed” into a volunteer response of 80 persons for each of two Operation
Inasmuch weekends this spring, said pastor Sandy Marks.