North Church Expand Their Community Service Efforts

Community services are on the move at North Church, and we are very excited about our new initiatives. Our aim is to extend our reach, care, and methods of service in the north Philadelphia area. On March 4th, we began the Seek & You Shall Find Ministries, distributing clothes on a monthly basis, organized by Elder Stephanie Powell and Darcell Bishop. Timothy Brooks, a faithful volunteer for many years, will be giving out household and other items to our members every other month as well. We are so grateful for the volunteers and donations we receive to bless both our members and the community. 

Brenda Washington, our Community Services Director, and our pastor, Ndubuisi Nwade, who are both interested in extending our reach, stopped by a local community center to introduce themselves. They had an opportunity to tour the facility and discuss their current needs. When they mentioned Bible studies, Pastor Nwade volunteered, and Brenda will be donating pantry items for cooking classes for the young men who visit the center. Join us in prayer that this partnership blossoms into a long-lasting relationship.

When asked about serving the community this winter, this is what Ms. Washington had to say. "The temperatures were freezing, and you couldn't tell if it was winter or summer because the line started forming around 6am. I thought we would be leaving early, but it was a regular day, and we gave out food like any normal day. No one is going to stand outside on the coldest day of the year if they don't need the food."

How can you join us in these efforts? We are so glad you asked. "Even though we are giving out food, we can still use donations for the other items that people may need on a daily basis, like toilet paper or laundry detergent. We don't know what the prices of items are going to be with the implementation of new tariffs. Any items we can give leave more money in our neighbors' pockets and are something I would love to do. The food pantry is funded by the state government, and with all of the changes happening, we are concerned about what will happen in the future," states Brenda. We along with the other pantries in the AEC are beginning to feel the implementation of these changes, and we can use more volunteers and donations today.