Community Church Students

This morning before church we attended a live version of Teen Talk at Brown Missionary Baptist Church. The youth at their church started Teen Talk during covid.  They air live every Sunday and today our team was able to participate.  We were their first-ever live audience.  What a great experience for our group!

Max introduced our team to the congregation today.  He let everyone know that we would be working in the community all week.  The church was a bit larger than we all expected.  He did a fantastic job!! We’re proud of you Max.

Yesterday we broke into 3 different groups and had the blessing of delivering food to people in the community.  It was an amazing time of praying for and delivering those in need a hot meal.  

One of the highlights for the teams was seeing how much support and love came from the neighbors in the communities.  So many were willing to help bring the things inside to their friends when they were unable to come to the door themselves. 

It was a humbling and wonderful experience to deliver food to senior citizens that are unable to leave their homes for meals.

Today we visited and worked at an Urban Farm that provides fruit and vegetables to their community.  The closest grocery store is two miles away and most don't have the ability to drive or take public transportation that far.  The public transportation system is very poor in Memphis which makes it hard for families to travel on a regular basis.

Our team worked very hard today to clear weeds from pathways in the garden.  

This hardworking front yard crew helped with the beautification and urban renewal of a house that needs some major TLC.  Those smiles radiated the love of Jesus as they served!

What an amazing week of Vacation Bible School at Shelby Forest Baptist Church!

Tears fell last night as some of us had to say goodbye to the church family at Shelby Forest Baptist.  Part of our team will not be able to return tonight due to serving meals at a local rescue mission.

The church honored the team during the closing of VBS last night in a way I have never seen before.  The bond and friendships that were made over the 2 nights of VBS were truly amazing.  As the Pastor's wife Judy spoke to the team she broke down in tears as she told us that we had done more in two nights than they could have done in a year.  She thanked the team for loving and caring for the children so well.  

Some of the senior ladies at the church gave each of us gift bags filled with little goodies that they had made.  They also presented each of us with a medal of honor that said: "You Are Treasured".  As they passed out the medals they placed them around our necks and gave us huge hugs of thanks.

Shelby Forest became family to us.  They loved us so well.  Tonight part of the team returns to help with their closing night of bible school.  We can't wait to see the children and adults we have come to love so much this week.

Shelby Forest Church we love you and our team will treasure this amazing gift forever!!  Even more than this beautiful gift, we will treasure the friendships that were made this week with the adults and the children. 

This week the team partnered with Heights CDC, an organization that purchases abandoned homes and refurbishes them to rent at an affordable price to people in their community.

This house has been abandoned for 10 years.  Heights CDC was able to purchase the property and is in the process of the outside clean-up of the property.  Once this house has been restored it will be a blessing to a family that may not normally be able to rent a home.

Our team worked tirelessly in the heat of the day to begin the beautification of this home. One of the most moving parts of the day was when people from the community drove by, honked, and thanked us for helping their community - they couldn’t have been more grateful to have us there.  It was such a blessing to know that we were able to play a small part in the beginning process of this house becoming a "home" once again for a family.

What a week!!  Community Church has been a blessing in the communities they served, the ministries they partnered with, and also to us as leaders.  It has been a week full of joy, tears, love, and laughter.  

What a beautiful week it has been to serve together alongside a team of intentional leaders and students.  Hearts have been changed not only for the people in which the team served but also for the team.  Tonight during our final group time together.  One of the students shared he finally felt like he was "living" and not just alive.  What a powerful statement that was for all of us to hear.  God has certainly moved through the team this week.  It has been amazing to see their lives touched.

We are so proud of you Community Church you have blessed us beyond measure.  You are "treasured."