Jesus instructed his disciples to cast a wide net in order to do the work of God on Earth. At Morning Star Lutheran Church (MSLC) in Matthews, NC, we used God’s Work, Our Hands as an opportunity to cast a wide net with a variety of ways in which members could work together to embody Christ’s love within and for our community.

The weekend began early Saturday with cleaning projects, one at the church where fourteen people gathered to polish seventy-two handbells. Meanwhile, ten members disposed of litter along a one-mile stretch of road near the church property. Elsewhere, volunteers took shifts on Saturday at Servant’s Heart Community Boutique to collect donations, sort and price clothing items, and help customers check out. Revenue from the Community Boutique supports the financial assistance programs for residents of Mint Hill, NC.

On Sunday, members assembled care kits from donated items for Roof Above, an agency that serves our neighbors experiencing homelessness in the Charlotte area. Members also gathered items into Teacher Gift Bags to be distributed at Lebanon Road Elementary School. Other collected items include eyeglasses for the Lion’s Club.

In the areas where the care kits were being assembled, tables were set up for two community service agencies. The first, Heart Math Tutoring, provides volunteer-based, one-on-one math tutoring to elementary school students during the school day. A representative delivered a brief Moment for Mission during both services and was available to speak with potential volunteers about the program. A second agency, Time Out Youth, provides a safe space for LGBTQ+ and straight allies to be themselves in an environment that respects the journey of all individuals. MSLC contributed to a program that helps members of the Time Out Youth community set up new homes for themselves as they transition to new living arrangements. MSLC provided kits to allow five youth to get on their feet at this crucial point in their lives. The church also provided tied fleece blankets to show that others care for them and are praying for them. Finally, a blood drive capped off the weekend with the presence of the Big Red Bus providing a mobile blood donation center from 9am-2pm.

The continued pandemic threatened to keep our net closer to home and limited in scope, but MSLC was ready to lend a hand in carrying out the commission that the Lord has given to us.