Calvary Baptist Visits Homeless Shelter
Calvary Baptist Church Supports GSA Friday Night Live
By Nancy Causey
With a desire to share a meal and a few hours of a Friday night, several members of Calvary Baptist Church in Ashburn loaded our car with Bar-B-Q, delicious home-cooked dishes, sweet iced-tea, lemonade, ice cream and chocolate syrup. Our destination was The Good Shepherd Alliance (GSA) Hebron homeless shelter. Before leaving the Church parking lot, we prayed for God’s blessings to flow through us into the hearts and lives of the women and children who called the shelter home. Calvary is a small congregation with a big heart, and those who could not go with us to the shelter provided a dish or offered prayers of support.
Our participation in “Friday Night Live” had been scheduled and coordinated through Terri Lightle, Director of Administration and Community Relations for The Good Shepherd Alliance. Mark Gunderman, the GSA vice chair, had previously informed us about the homeless program during our second monthly missions meeting. Most Friday evenings from 5:30 to 7:30 PM church families visit and share fellowship with GSA homeless guests. Church groups can entertain the children by providing crafts, games, music and a hot meal. On these nights mothers and their children look forward to a home cooked dinner they don’t have to cook themselves.
Calvary Baptist Members at GSA Friday Night Live
In March, Calvary Church members began an organized monthly missions program. Calvary’s congregation has always been involved in missions through their faithful giving to the Southern Baptist cooperative program, Samaritan’s Purse, Inter-Faith Food Bank and other organizations. Many of the members provide financial support to world-wide charitable and church-related organizations to help reach and serve others. At the first meeting following a Sunday morning Worship service, numerous opportunities for ministry were discussed. The homeless in Loudoun County made the top of the list.
Calvary Church is a praying group of people. We do not want to just be busy working “in the Lord’s name” toward our individual agendas. We do not want to just participate in charitable work. We want to be part of God’s plan wherever He calls us to serve. So as a church body, we had been praying to know God’s will and the direction with which to go.
It’s thrilling for Christians to see God’s plan unfold and it’s extremely exciting to be in on it. We know it is not by accident or stroke of luck when He places people in our lives and in our path to complete His plan and to send blessings our way. It is not a coincidence when a Scripture is revealed after you’ve made a petition in prayer. It is not coincidence that Calvary Baptist Church is just a stone’s throw away from the GSA Center of Hope, so familiar to our members on our drive to church on Ashburn Road.
Our excitement and anticipation grew as we made our way through Friday night traffic on Highway 15. We approached the facility and as we turned into the grounds we saw a beautiful scene of tall trees to the left and a large open field to the right. It is a very peaceful setting. When we entered the residence, we immediately saw Scriptures – written on the wall, in tapestries or on small signs.
The Dining Room Wall at Hebron
Grace Major, Hebron House Monitor, provided us with a glimpse into the lives of folks that frequent the facility while she showed us around the well-kept 20 bed house. From the moment you arrive, you know you are in someone’s home by the cozy furnishings, nice kitchen and view through the expansive windows to the children’s play area outside. We spread the food, prepared our plates and sat at the table talking to the residents like long-lost friends. I listened as the ladies spoke of God’s blessings in their lives, of their desire to find work, a permanent home or further their education. I sometimes think about the ladies we did not meet.
Two children enjoyed decorating a tee-shirt with assorted stamps and colorful paints. We left materials behind for a youngster who wanted to join in but needed to get to bed.
Decorating a Tee-Shirt with Colorful Paints
When our visit was drawing to a close, the residents thanked us for the meal and the visit and asked us to pray for them. We will. We said good-bye knowing we may not see these folks again on our next visit. I hope they know how they blessed our lives.
Note: Calvary Baptist is participating in the GSA Walk for Shelter through historic Leesburg on September 19. The congregation is setting up a “Diaper Changing Station.” It will be a comfortable changing station with emergency supplies for moms and a private place for nursing or feeding. Members of the congreation will also be walking and helping with fundraising.
Reverend Stuart James, Pastor, invites you to services at Calvary Baptist Church. The Church was founded in 1877 and is located in Old Ashburn near the W&OD RR bike path and Partlow Brothers' Store on 43825 Jenkins Lane. Their web site says that you can discover Christian principles for living and an opportunity for putting those principles into practice by joining the Church congregation. At Calvary Baptist you can experience the love of Jesus Christ through personal relationships with His people. If you need a ride to the Sunday Service, please call 703-729-0715. Visit their Web site at http://www.calvaryashburn.org/.
If anyone is interested in publishing a faith article on this web column, please contact Mark Gunderman at gunderman2001@aol.com.