When it's cold, the love of Christ is especially warm and churches step up to serve their communities.

Examples?

• Home-cooked dinner for utility workers on Christmas Day. –
• Extra loads of firewood for people who need heat. – Greeneville,
• Hot coffee and a warm place to sleep for stranded travelers. – Tazewell, Va.
• Our own KUMC provided a New Year’s Day meal for county workers.

In an unusually cold and snowy winter, Holston churches are finding opportunities -- amongst the icy roads and frozen pipes -- to share the love of Christ.

On Christmas Day, the power was out near Dickenson, Va., and utility workers from four states away were trying to repair the damage. The congregation at Sulphur Springs UMC went into action. With turkey and ham donated by Food City, about 30 church members prepared a Christmas dinner and supper for 150 utility workers in the fellowship hall. An additional 100 neighbors without electricity in their homes came for dinner as well. Later, the Sulphur Springs youth group delivered boxed meals to about 50 more homebound senior citizens.

“It was a great blessing, that we had the opportunity to do this on Christmas Day,” said Pastor Charlie Killen of the Russellville Circuit, Abingdon District.

In Greeneville, Tenn., Christ UMC is leading a firewood ministry that the church started last year. But with the severity of this year’s winter, the ministry is working overtime and involving other churches. “There’s nothing like working outside when it’s 15 degrees,” said Greg Isom, who helped deliver 20 loads to needy neighbors on Jan. 9. “We were delivering it as fast as we could get it split .”
Also participating in the ministry are Asbury UMC, Trinity UMC, and Cherokee Circuit, all in the Morristown District. Five non-United Methodist churches have joined in, too, along with inmates from the local jail. The group receives names of families depending on firewood for heat from the Greene County Food Pantry, according the Rev. Ginger Isom of Christ UMC. 

“Last winter, we delivered 200 loads of wood. This year it’ll be close to 350 or 400,” she said.

At your service

Other Holston ministries also reported their winter-weather ministries. After receiving a strong response from Holston churches during the Christmas outreach, Jubilee Project has been better equipped to meet the community’s needs, according to Doris Burton.

“We’ve had a few problems with families with broken water pipes, low wood supplies, and other needs related to the cold,” she said. “We help where we can and try to keep our finger in the dike. Our kids, however, are keeping warm with the blankets and coats that [Holston churches] provided for them and their families at Christmas.”

What about KUMC ?

Along with Bethel Presbyterian, KUMC hosted an Appreciation New Year’s Day luncheon for our county emergency personnel. This was the 3rd year that our Churches joined together to provide a meal for our law enforcement, firemen, ambulance personnel & TVA emergency personnel to let them know how they are greatly appreciated for keeping us safe.

In addition, here is some new information below:

Will you “Share the Warmth” with someone in need?

When I was checking folks in to receive their Christmas baskets, I realized that several people did not have proper clothing for the type of weather we have been experiencing. I suggested to one young lady why she didn’t go to the Clothes Closet to get a jacket. She said that she had gone but the Clothes Closet was out of jackets. That’s when a light bulb came on for me and the idea was created to provide outerwear for these folks.

Coats are now on sale at area stores and can be purchased at a very reasonable price. We need children’s sizes as well as adult sizes for these needy families. Clean, gently worn coats that are no longer being used are also welcome.

“Share the Warmth” will be in addition to the Christmas baskets project. Please bring new or clean, gently worn coats for this project to the Narthex during the month of February. Place your coats in the assigned box and we will store the coats until next December when we can “share the warmth.”

If you have any questions, please call me at 376-6879 or Susan Garner at 376-2591.

Sharon Leitnaker