A Georgia church decided to step out in faith, rallying congregants and the local community to create a place for homeless men and women to go amid frigid temperatures.
“We decided to make our fellowship hall and turn it into our warming center,” Christopher Carter, lead pastor at The Table at First Christian Church in Warner Robins, Georgia, told WMGT-TV. “We trusted God in the process, and people just showed out in so many numbers and blessed us with donations.”
The house of worship felt compelled to service after noticing the needs of the homeless, especially as temperatures in the area plummet.
Carter said members of the church came together to help make the warming center a reality by calling in favors and seeking out help from anyone willing.
“We kind of called some favors and got some cots, and some great people from our community brought us sleeping bags, blankets, pillows, and any other things we needed,” Carter told WMAZ-TV. “So we could be a great resource for those who are struggling with homelessness.”
The church had initially created a “blessing box” for people in need to grab items like clothes, snacks, and personal care items. This new effort ups the ante on the church’s outreach.
Those who come to the shelter are given a warm meal, a cot, and food for the next day.
Steven Kidd, an elder at the church, told WMGT-TV the effort helps the church live out its “‘love God, love people’ philosophy.”
John Glover, another individual at the church, said the shelter has seen people outside the local community come for assistance.
“We stepped into this on faith,” he said. “We’ve had families come down from as far as Atlanta to stay with us.”
The Table at First Christian Church is planning to stay open during the cold months and is potentially laying the groundwork for a permanent shelter in the future.
The church is inviting community members to volunteer or donate to the cause.
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