What do we do?  We practice our faith.

You can’t get much simpler than that, but that’s what we do.  We put our beliefs into action by practicing the discipline of prayer, and hospitality, and testimony, and a rhythm of life, and a host of other things. 

Some of our Christian practices are personal, like times for individual prayer and scripture reading during each week.  Other practices are congregational like hospitality and worship.  But whatever they are, we believe that our faith must find expression in what we do and in how we live our lives. 

We also practice our faith by engaging our community and other communities around the world.

 That’s why we’re hosting the Boys and Girls Club — engaging our community to make a difference in the lives of 40 kids per day who would have no safe place to go after school.

That’s why we’re a co-sponsor of Soundcheck, the teen open mic night meeting in “The Cellar,” at our church.  Our teens need a place for creative expression and we’re providing it through Soundcheck and Drama in the Pitts, a teen community drama group.   We’re making a difference in the lives of teens here in Chatham.

We’re also making a difference in the lives of children through Chatham Arts and the Community Music School program that our members initiated and lead in.  Thirty children and teens take lessons in voice, violin, cello, guitar, and piano here at our church.  I love to walk down the halls on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday and hear the sounds of kids learning music. 

We’re also making a difference….

•  in the lives of prisoners through the Good News Jail and Prison Ministry;
• in the lives of those who can’t read through the Pittsylvania County Literacy Program;
• in the lives of those who are economically disadvantaged through the Northern Pittsylvania Food Bank; and,
• in the lives of a mother and her three kids who occupy the Habitat house we helped build here is Chatham;
• in the lives of children in India where the Fitzgeralds visited The Precious Children’s Home, and our church bought fishing boats, school uniforms, and school supplies for these children; and,
• in the lives of the people of Senegal, where our adopted missionaries, Cal and Patty McIntire are sharing love and good news with the people of West Africa;

We’re also making a difference in our community through our Adult Fellowship which meets each month for lunch and fun; and, our Ark trips to faraway, exotic places — as long as Mrs. Noah and first mate Ann Reynolds can drive us there!

Of course, these aren’t all the things we’re doing to make a difference.  We recently provided Thanksgiving dinner to a mother of five who has just started working regularly again.  All she wanted was to put dinner on the table for her kids.  We helped because we could. 

Why do we do all this?  For God’s sake.  Jesus said, “In as much as you have done it to one of the least of these, you have done it unto me.”  Making a difference…for God’s sake, and we’re doing it….together.  — Chuck Warnock, Pastor