Tuesday, September 6, 2016

Downtown, St. Louis – This week’s service project allowed our students to step into a new part of the city and minister to a segment of the population that most of us have little to no ongoing relationship with – those forced to live on the streets.

While Cortland was taping a segment on a local cable tv show that broadcasts from the studio at New Life Evangelistic Center (NLEC), a group of our students (Caleb, Katie, Isaiah, Jesse, Schuyler and Amber) served in this downtown shelter organizing storerooms, toddler watching and packing bags of toiletries and basic items to be handed out to those who come to NLEC for food and respite and leave having experienced a tangible touch of God’s love. It was a great way to kick off Schuyler’s 18th birthday!

NLEC is the largest homeless shelter in
downtown St. Louis, and while they often have their fill of volunteers around the holidays, it was clear from our experience this week that they are in ongoing need of volunteers.  We are praying this can be a monthly service project for our church. As the weather begins to turn colder, would you pray about joining us for our next outing?

“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’  Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’ – Matthew 25:34-40