In the Fondren church parking lot, volunteers keep the boxes rolling as they pack the food allocated for those who signed up for a box. The number on the box corresponds to the number each family has been assigned so the appropriate amount of food will be packed for each. Photo provided by Adventist Community Services
What does your church parking lot look like during the week? For many, the answer is “empty,” but for two Adventist Community Services (ACS) ministries in the Houston, Texas, area, the answer is “full of cars.”
The Fondren Seventh-day Adventist Church ACS moved their food distribution into the parking lot in 2020 to abide by COVID-19 recommendations and they haven’t moved back inside. Rain or shine, Fondren ACS volunteers distribute boxes of food to their community every Wednesday. Despite the distribution not beginning until 4 p.m., cars begin coming to the church by 4 a.m., lining up to receive a number. Volunteers pack boxes of food including fresh produce, dry goods, proteins, and baked goods.
At a recent distribution, volunteers filled car trunks and pickup beds with food for more than 180 families. After receiving their food, visitors are welcome to park their cars and walk around to look over the tables of clothing, personal care items, and household goods. Fondren ACS keeps the parking lot buzzing with activity and conversation.
Down the road, another church parking lot packed with cars as well. World Harvest Outreach Seventh-day Adventist Church (WHO) recently hosted their fourth job fair. In partnership with Workforce Solutions, the church parking lot filled with vehicles belonging to employers, job seekers and local leaders from government, and nonprofit agencies, all hoping to enrich the neighborhood through livable wages.
Texas Department of Criminal Justice welcomes attendees to sign up for information and interviews at the WHO church's ACS job fair. Photo provided by Adventist Community Services
WHO Pastor Neylon Samuels shares, “We want to be the church in the community, that feels the heartbeat of the community. The way to do that is to get beyond the four walls. By the grace of God, we have been able to find some great partnerships and been able to serve our communities together. We want to make our community a great place to work, go to school, and to worship.”
What difference has it made? At one job fair more than 200 individuals gained employment. One of those was Gloria Skeete, who not only found a job, but she also found a church home. Skeete works for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice and serves as the head deaconess for the WHO church. Now, when she attends the church’s job fairs, it is with her work colleagues to recruit more employees. “God is good and He continues to bless me and I know today we will bless other persons and get them a job,” shares Skeete.
Parking Lot Ministry Tips
How can you get involved in your community and fill up the church parking lot? Here are three tips from the leaders of these two ACS ministries:
- Collaborate with other organizations. This lessens the load of planning and organizing while connecting you to additional resources. You don’t have to do everything yourself to share God’s love to the community.
- Keep track of what happened to know how effective it was. This might include counting how many people helped, and how many people were served. Remember to also track the effect of the ministry. Depending on the program, this may include: “How many job placements made?” Or, “How many students earned their GED?” These add insight, not only into the amount of activities you are doing, but into the difference you are making.
- Know the next steps you want to take to grow the ministry. Too often our lack of vision blinds us to the opportunities God brings our way. We don’t recognize that the resources are within our grasp because we don’t know what we’re looking for and cannot communicate it to others.
World Harvest Outreach church in Houston, Texas, fills up their parking lot on a Thursday with employers, job seekers, and community leaders. Photo provided by Adventist Community Services
Getting Noticed
Will people notice if you do this? Absolutely! Not only will they notice, but they will share the good news with others. Councilmember, Carolyn Evans-Shabazz (Houston District D Representative) was on hand at the job fair to encourage job seekers. Says Evans-Shabazz, “World Harvest is one of our destination churches. The Holy Spirit is in the house. We have willing workers at this church who are helping people to change the quality of their lives.”
She continues, “And they are not just here today. They have done many activities, food drives . . . you name it. Anything that has touched this community, this church has been a part of it.”
ACS ministries fill the parking lot, because they reflect the love of Jesus — a love that so many are desperately seeking. These programs demonstrate His concern for their wellbeing. They extend His grace and mercy. Thank you to each of you who are the face of Jesus in your community.
How You Can Help
What these Texas churches have done can be replicated in different places; others can take inspiration from how they serve their communities.
Here’s another way you can help: The “Annual Day of Giving for Adventist Community Services” is on Sabbath, December 9, 2023. This offering keeps volunteers serving communities across the North American Division. Whether distributing food and clothes, welcoming refugees, teaching life skills, or offering showers to the unsheltered, ACS fulfills Christ’s mission to reach people by meeting needs and making communities places of wholeness. Plan now to give at your local church on December 9 or give online here.