Doug Symons didn't go to church Sunday morning.
Instead, he and about 50 people from the Bible study class he teaches gathered in front of a Portsmouth elementary school like an army of gardeners.
They trimmed back trees that kept the sun from shining into classrooms and planted new lipstick-shades of roses and yellow lilies called "Happy Returns."
It seemed the perfect way to welcome children back to school this week.
They were not the only folks missing from First Baptist Church of Norfolk that morning.
The sanctuary that usually fills up with about 1,900 people each week was quiet Sunday morning.
The pastor, Eric Thomas, had canceled services and sent the congregation out into the community to practice what had been preached.
"So often we decide church is gathering in a building and sitting in a pew or whatever," Thomas said last week.
"But I've really been trying to help our people see that in scripture, church was usually beyond the walls - usually in the community - and God put church people in the paths of others to help."
That has been a common sermon theme for about a year, he said.
It was the Rev. Craig Clayton, the church's local missions strategist, who came to Thomas with the idea of taking a Sunday to demonstrate the lesson.
Some members were hesitant at first, Thomas said.
"It is not a normal thing for a Southern Baptist church to call off services on Sunday morning," he said.
But for the most part, people were enthusiastic, and what came to be called "The Big Serve" took on a life of its own.
Clayton coordinated the community outreach, drawing on the creativity and talents of about 70 church groups.
Members were given free rein to come up with ways to minister to others. The result was about 45 projects in cities all over Hampton Roads.
Some sang at nursing homes. Others cooked meals or prepared goodie bags to say thank you to police officers and firefighters.
At Lafayette Park in Norfolk, church members served lunch to homeless people.
Volunteers handed out fruit cups and chips to accompany the main course of hot dogs and hamburgers, while live musicians performed Christian music and called visitors to open their hearts to the church.
"This is where we need to be," said Virginia Beach resident Julie Morris, who brought homemade brownies and ham sandwiches to the picnic.
"If we stay in the building, how are people going to know the love of Christ?"
Not far away, two Sunday School classes had converged on the Ronald McDonald House, a place for families to stay when their children are being treated at the nearby Children's Hospital of The King's Daughters.
About four dozen class members cleaned the commons areas, did small repairs, prepared lunch and dinner for residents and stocked the pantry, said Janet Aguiar, one of the class leaders.
"It was wonderful," Aguiar said.
Participants left talking about wanting to go back and do more, she said.
Another class headed for a Hampton neighborhood, where they did a neighborhood cleanup and cookout for the community.
Others put together care packages for deployed military personnel.
In Portsmouth, Symons' Bible study group cleaned, edged and planted about 74 yards of flower beds along the front of James Hurst Elementary School.
A smaller group had branched off to do the same work at Cradock Middle School down the street.
Symons predicted it would be like an "army of ants out there," and he was right.
They started before 8 and by 9:30 the buzz of a leaf blower could be heard as they cleaned the debris of their work from the sidewalks.
With that, they crowded in front of the school for a group shot, holding shovels and rakes, garden gloves clutched in their hands or flopping out of back pockets.
The man taking the shot told every one to shout "The Big Serve" at one time.
"It's the Big Sweat, actually," Symons quipped.
Before leaving, they joined hands in a large circle and prayed for the plants to grow and for the children those flowers would greet to be excited as they came back to school.
Later Sunday evening they planned to join other church members at First Baptist for an ice cream social and a celebration of the day's outreach.
The church hopes to make Big Serve Sundays an ongoing ministry of the Norfolk church.
The first outreach illustrated the power of church beyond the sanctuary.
"I think it's life-changing for our church," Thomas said.
Janie Bryant, (757) 446-2453, janie.bryant@pilotonline.com
Alicia Wittmeyer, (757) 222-5216, alicia.wittmeyer@pilotonline.com
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Missionaryman
What a touching comment. Thank you. I am in a growing church with good outreach, so I am being helped in this cancer journey, but I thank you so much for offering to help me from your church, too (some of my good friends go there or have in the past). Cheers, MGM
marym's cancer
Marym, on behalf of the Church mentioned in the article, if we can minister to you in any way as you are in cancer treatment. . .I hope that you will let us know. That is what the Big Serve is all about, showing the love of Christ to our community.
Be encouraged...
Hello,
I want to let everyone know that the many people that came together on Sunday August 31st, 2008 were sent by the Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, they came in love and hope for each person that attended the picnic no matter where they came from or what they had been through. Honestly, I came out to the event and told people my testimony how GOD delivered me from drugs and alcohol. The people were very very receptive and that is what it is about, telling people what GOD has done for you and can do for them as well. I am an encourager and I want everyone to know that GOD is amazing and that HIS love for you and for me is rich and pure. So, try HIS love, you will not be disappointed. HE cares about you very much, get to know HIM. GOD Bless
thanks for your comment
I don't just sit and do nothing, I've very active in getting information out in area's both Black and White. At a recent meeting, we discussed the role churches could play in educating their congregation without coming across as negative or "preaching". I see on TV congregations of thousands, and while Praise the Lord, is certainly important information regarding today's issues which I've previously mentioned, could be handed out or at least mentioned. Thanks again, Gertz
Gertz
My comment was not intended to be offensive. Many pastors today are attempting to address real problems in the community and are having great success. I would agree that Pastors have a captive audience and should use it responsible.
Even if you are not active in a church there are still organizations that you can work with you make a difference in the topics you discussed. Some of these organizations are not a part of any church group. A good example is the Boys and Girls Clubs. They are an excellent way to make the difference in the lives of children and address some of the topics you discussed.
To quote Roy Rogers "Even if you're on the right track, you'll get hit if you just sit there". As a side note, I am a student of ministry at Liberty University and your comment did give me additional consideration to the addressing needs in the community:)
some comments
Some comments are not worthy of a reply. It's called ignore! To ignore someone is to reduce them to nothing, they have no value or substance, and only want to argue.
not criticism?
"What they did is fine, but there are more important issues than just doing clean up and serving lunch...What they did was fine, but they overlooked the real problems in some of these area's."
If this isn't criticism, I don't know what it is. Instead of saying something like, "Great job" or "Nice gesture," you belittled what they did ("just doing clean up and serving lunch") and pointed how, in your opinion, their efforts fell short of your standard.
cs
"Gertz, I find it funny and sad that this discussion started because you decided to criticize how these volunteers decided to spend their time helping people."
As usual you have twisted my comments. I'm not criticizing the volunteers, but mearly suggesting so much more could be done. I don't expect for YOU to understand that, nor was I aming my comment at YOU, so stop being so defensive.
What he said . . .
Yes, CS did the photo analysis I did and stated the conclusions better than I did. In this particular instance, it would be better to not have the church (white) people addressing the community people (blacks) about issues like gangs, drugs, and sex. Of course, those issues exist in many other communities.
Also, Gertz Point, I may have misinterpreted your remarks yesterday. You mentioned AIDS and the climbing rate among blacks--I thought you, too, were looking at the pictures, seeing a black community, and saying that *all* of those issues (gangs, sex, drugs) related to that particular community. You live in Norfolk and I don't, so I thought you were giving insider information on the problems that likely plague the community where the church did its volunteer work. Sorry if I tried to figure out what you were saying and got it wrong. Cheers, MGM
not so fast
Obviously gangs, drugs and sex are not limited to any one community. Not trying to turn these issues into a black thing - so don't try to suggest I am. But with this PARTICULAR story, the congregation appears to me majority white based on the photo and the church's location, and the recipients appear to be majority black based on the photo and the neighborhood. That's why it could be wrongly perceived if THIS particular church's members spoke about the topics you mentioned to THAT particular group of people. This is a legitimate point, but any time issues of race are brought up people try to paint folks as bigots.
Gertz, I find it funny and sad that this discussion started because you decided to criticize how these volunteers decided to spend their time helping people.
It isn't just a black issue
Some of you are trying to turn this into a Black and White issue and it isn't. BTW, what's the difference between a lecture and a preacher? My childhood experience in a Baptist church, was a constant "preaching at" the congrgation. Hellfire and damnation didn't work for me!
as usual, good point, Mary
Many in the black community excoriate Bill Cosby whenever he tries to address issues in the black community. Barack Obama, the current liberal Messiah, even caught flack from some quarters when he spoke about personal and paternal responsibility. If leaders within the black community can't address issues to the black community without being criticized, how in the world could someone outside of it do so? I agree completely that it would come off as a condescending lecture if it came from a white person. It would have a "you black folks need to get your act together" flavor.
Continued luck with your treatment.
A great example
A church not preaching the 'gospel of greed' and actually following what Jesus did: simply amazing. Pray tell other churches learn something from this example and follow it.
SweetDaddy72
You didn't say what you disagreed with in my post, just that you thought it was disgraceful. Rather than flag you for that personal attack, I am going to ask you for clarification. By the way, the only reason I am home right now is because I am fighting cancer. And the reason this post is so delayed is that I had to go to the emergency room last night. So . . . when I am done with my treatment, I hope I will have a life to get back!!!
Someone said that the majority white church should have spent their time teaching the mixed/black community about gangs, drugs, and sex. I agree that that should come from the pulpit, but suggested that it is better for a majority black congregation to do that teaching, because I think it sounds like a lecture if a white person stands up in front of a black crowd to talk about gangs. What is your alternative? Cheers, MGM
phrog
I never said it wasn't good enough, I mearly stated that churches could do so much more when talking/preaching to their congregations. What the churches did was all well and good, but there is an opportunity these ministers have to bring todays problems into their sermons. 4000 years old? Well, I guess that shows how little I know about the Bible. Reading the Bible isn't going to get anyone into Heaven, if there is one.
The Bible is real life
But Gertz, the Bible IS reality. And, by-the-way, most of the Old Testament in the Bible dates back 4000 + years and is just as relevant to day as it was back then. I guess when "organized religion" does good things, it's still not good enough for you.
What happen to Sola fide?
Finally, Baptist are believing what us Catholics have been saying all along. You need to believe in your faith and practice your faith.
Note: I did not say you can buy your way into heaven.
djw378
If I was a minister then I would brings those things into my sermons, but since I'm not maybe I can reach someone on here like yourself. As far as being negative, I'm not. I'm not a fan of organized religion, but my faith is as strong as the next persons. It seems to me, that with a captured audence, any good minister, could work into their sermons, the realities of life instead of a 2000 year old bible.
you know mary
I see huge crowds both balck and white who do not address parenting skills, gangs, etc, and I don't see why that can't be incorporated in their sermons. Let's face it, they have a captured audience and it would be a perfect time.
Good Job!
Regardless of what the church/churches are doing, at least they are making SOME attempt to reach out to the community like they should. There will always be negative people stating something that the churches don't do. Everything comes in due time. If they (the churches)was out there talking about HIV/AIDS then one will be complaining "Why aren't they talking about gangs".... Then you have this MGM person below. You are a disgrace. How can/could you even come out of your feeble mouth like that. I just hope you're not a lonely individual who stays home all day sitting on the couch, cooking, surfing the internet, and gaining serious weight. Please find a life YOU.
Gertz
I'm gonna guess that the next church to do this will be a majority black church and that they would be accepted teaching the black community about drugs, sex, and gangs. If a mostly white church tried it, wouldn't it come across as lecturing? Cheers, MGM
Gertz
I'm gonna guess that the next church to do this will be a majority black church and that they would be accepted teaching the black community about drugs, sex, and gangs. If a mostly white church tried it, wouldn't it come across as lecturing? Cheers, MGM
Great Job.
Great job at reaching out and showing what a church is really about, hundreds of people being the body of Christ.
Gertz Point did make an excellant point though that there is still alot more work to do in other areas. Hopefully, we'll be able to read soon about how Gertz Point has started to educate communities about drugs, sex, and gangs since this seems like an important topic to Gertz. Hopefully Gertz will go out and actually do work like the people at this church did, instead of just bringing up the problem and doing nothing about it!
Volunteering is much better:)
I like to see churches doing more in the community around them than those who feel the need only to bring us to them. Late this morning I got a knock on my door and there were three people standing there asking me if I feel close to Christ? I realize they are spreading the "Word", but for the love of Pete, stop knocking on my door. Go out into the world and volunteer. There are so many shut-ins who would love a visit from you. It would let others know that you are a church of doers not preachers.
and another thing...i hate
and another thing...i hate to bring this up because i dont want to take away from the positive theme in this story, but i couldnt help but notice the people in the pictures that were helping...there are a lot of churches that help out the community on a regular basis...ESPECIALLY, the churches that are smack dab in the middle of 'the hood' (hint hint)...this story is a good start, but in the future lets try to afford the reader of the VP equal coverage of ALL churches that do something to help the community....
Walk the Talk
"People may doubt what you say, but they will always believe what you do!" It is easy to sit in church and pray for a better life -- it is far more powerful to go out and take action to make a better life for others.
Great points, Gertz Point
Great points, Gertz Point :)
Education is the key (in any field)...still, kudos for anyone trying to make a difference for the less fortunate people...blessings like that don't go unnoticed...
all well and good, but
What they did is fine, but there are more important issues than just doing clean up and serving lunch. Communities need to be educated about drugs, sex, and gangs. They need to understand that our young people are killing each other and people need to be educated on what's going on. The increase of HIV/AIDS is on an increase in Black communities, and people need to understand. The lack of parental guidance is a major concern, and they too need more education. What they did was fine, but they overlooked the real problems in some of these area's.
Amen!
The blessings this church poured out into the community are remarkable. it is inspiring to learn about Christians going forth to fulfill The Great Commission locally, serving others as Jesus would have done. This raises the bar for churches of all denominations to demonstrate the love of Christ unselfishly and sacrificially.
I challenge anyone else inspired by this story to contact their church leaders and seek ways of impacting the local communities with equal magnitude.