As part of a Transformed by the Spirit Action Learning Team, Union Church of Quincy, Michigan, has implemented a new program to reach out to its community: learn more below.
Union Church of Quincy, Michigan has developed several outreach efforts that encourage active application of the gospel to specific people groups in the community. One of these experiments is the “Eternal Bread” ministry that involves filling a gap in food education and nutrition while sharing Bible lessons with children who need food during those times that school feeding programs are in recess. Meals are made by the children with adults, and meals are also brought out to children who don’t know about the program with the intent of inviting them into the experience in days following. The result of the “hands on” experience is that the children learn about healthy eating habits, they learn how to pick food wisely, they learn how to prepare meals and they learn eternally nutritious lessons from Scripture.
Union Church also maintains an active food pantry that is supported by donations from the larger community, a homeless shelter/feeding ministry called “family promise”, and the “Grace Café and Holy Cow Grill” eat stand at the county fair that serves thousands yearly while raising mission funds.
Strategic planning has also led the church to craft worship that is more accessible to guests and to people of various ages. Small groups have developed which are personal and inviting.
Training in evangelism is underway and is supported by a movement of ongoing small prayer groups whose focus is intercessory prayer. Overall, there is awareness that we are sharing our faith within a post-Christian culture. Discipleship is therefore the priority and cohesive purpose for small groups, worship, education, service and missional outreach. From this awareness of our distinctiveness within culture, there is a movement to seek ways to remove barriers that would hinder guests to the church from assimilation into the life of the church community.
Video about the ministry: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mapg7grnH8M