Resolve to make a difference: First Presbyterian Rockwall offers many ways to serve

oper christmas childredo — From left: John Crutchfield, Amber Logue, Anne-Marie Thacker, Will Crutchfield pose in front of the shoeboxes the congregation of First Presbyterian Church donated to Operation Christmas Child.

(December 10, 2012) Every January folks around the world sit down with pen and paper to compose their list of New Year’s resolutions. Most lists include things like eating less junk food and exercising more. That’s why gym memberships skyrocket at the first of the year, but by February the facilities are deserted.

Why not resolve to make a difference in the world instead? It’s something you can do every day and brings everlasting rewards.

Many people sincerely want to help but just don’t know how to get started. One way to get your feet wet is to join a church whose goal is to help others.

One such congregation is First Presbyterian of Rockwall, located at 602 White Hills Drive. Their mission statement is: “Feel the love. Be the love.” Keeping their focus on making a difference in the world enables them to seek out opportunities to improve people’s lives through service.

The church’s Mission Committee looks to Rockwall and beyond to find ways to serve. They serve breakfast to the homeless at The Bridge once a month in downtown Dallas, which involves carpooling from the church at 6 a.m. Even though it means getting up early, James Tunnell finds it well worth the trouble.

“Serving at The Bridge is a humbling experience. I’ve met young and old, both men and women, who have fallen through the traditional safety nets, and now face the difficult task of living without adequate means. Even though their faces reveal the challenges of street life, I am almost always greeted with a smile, and thanked with a God bless you. It has put a different prospective on my own concerns,” Tunnell said.

Another way the church helps feed the hungry is through the Helping HandsFamily-to-Family program. Each month the congregation donates money to a special fund to provide food for three families in Rockwall, then three volunteers shop from a special list that is generated by those in need. The giving is done anonymously. The church only knows the people they are buying groceries for as: Family 50, Family 51, and Family 52.

Mary Thacker enjoys her monthly outings to Wal-Mart. “I picture the people we are giving food to, and I think how I would feel if I were in their shoes. To know that complete strangers care enough to take the time to shop for me would make me feel like I’m not alone,” she said.

The church also collects cereal once a month to help stock the shelves at Helping Hands, an organization which was started by First Presbyterian’s former minister, Bob Reeves.

Several FPC members, including Greg Blair, deliver food for Meals on Wheels. Greg says that many of the seniors he serves lunch to each week have limited contact with others. “I enjoy delivering a warm meal, a friendly smile, and a caring word. It seems to make each recipient a little brighter. I have the opportunity to live my faith one kind gesture at a time.” (see related story)

A number of church members, as well as Pastor Taylor, mentor local school children in Rockwall ISD through the Rockwall Rotary Mentoring Program. Bill Sinclair, a church member who serves as liaison between the Rotary Club and Jones Elementary School, says the school district acknowledges the importance of mentoring.

“We just can’t help passing along some wonderful feedback from campus counselors about the Rotary Mentoring program! Mentors reinforce the instruction students receive in the classroom and increase their ability to succeed. The most important job of Rockwall ISD is to enable its students to succeed in life. Mentors help the schools do just that by giving of their time and attention,” Sinclair said.

This past October, Mission Committee Chairman Greg Blair scheduled a blood drive in cooperation with Carter Bloodcare and First Methodist of Heath. That day, 20 donors gave whole blood and two donors gave platelets. Whole blood is given to accident victims, to replace blood lost during surgery, and to treat burn victims, while platelets are used for bone marrow failure, cancer and leukemia patients, and for anemia which can’t be treated any other way. Seventeen-year-old Zack Thacker donated blood for the first time and said, “It felt good giving blood to help others in need.”

First Presbyterian also collected shoes for the Rockwall-based Shoe Bank, an organization founded in 1989, whose initial goal was to put shoes on a few hundred homeless people in downtown Dallas. Today, the organization provides shoes for 25,000 people—primarily children—each year, both here and abroad. Holding a shoe drive was as simple as putting out collection boxes in Fellowship Hall. Since so little effort resulted in a huge payoff, the church is now sponsoring a coat drive through the Rockwall Rotary Club.

The congregation has also reached out to help victims of natural disasters. When they heard of the devastation that resulted from Hurricane Ike in 2008, they gave a love offering to the Presbyterian Church on Galveston. Since then, the church has established a permanent fund to give to those in need. Additionally, their youth group has traveled to Port Neches, Texas, and New Orleans, Louisiana, to help rebuild homes through Presbyterian Disaster Assistance and Project Homecoming.

During the summer, the children of the church get involved during Mission Camp. This past year they traveled to the Boys & Girls Club of Rockwall County where they stuffed teddy bears with filling and made flannel scarves. During the week the bears were delivered to the Rockwall Fire Department, and the scarves were taken to Stewpot Ministries in downtown Dallas for the homeless. The youngsters collected supplies and made stepping stones for the In-Sync Exotic Wildlife Sanctuary in Wylie. They also sang for residents at the Arbor House and created Shine and Shave kits for the homeless. The kids love knowing that they are making a difference in someone’s life.

Christmas always comes early at First Presbyterian with Operation Christmas Child. Gift-wrapped shoeboxes are filled with items like small toys, hard candy, clothing, and books, which are then sent around the world by Samaritan’s Purse ministry to make the holidays special for little ones. The congregation also puts up an Angel Tree to collect items for the Rainbow Room, which is a branch of the Texas Department of Child Protection Services. In addition, the Presbyterian Women deliver presents to Terrell State Hospital patients each year.

Participating in fundraising events like Relay For Life (American Cancer Society), Walk to Defeat ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease), and Crop Hunger Walks is another way the congregation of First Presbyterian helps others. They have also provided birthday boxes for children at the Goodland Boys Home in Oklahoma and sponsored water wells in Africa. Additionally, the men of the church have participated in Habitat for Humanity build days and organize work days at the homes of members who are in need of help. (related story)

The Mission Committee will soon be evaluating the scope of effort for the coming year. The needs of our community are many. Greg Blair wonders at times if the congregation will be overwhelmed by the plethora of requests placed before them. It appears that, to the contrary, members are enriched by giving of themselves in so many ways. None are expected to answer every call for service or donations.

“In 2013, our small congregation will continue to seek ways to make our hands and hearts count in relieving need wherever it exists. We will continue to work with the breakfast ministry at the Bridge, the Family-to-Family Program through Helping Hands, and to provide disaster relief. We will be hosting blood drives, collecting shoes and coats, and participating in build days at Habitat for Humanity,” Blair said.

The church is also considering a role with One Man’s Treasure, a program which benefits male prison parolees, as well as service with the Boys & Girls Club of Rockwall County.

“We pray that those we serve will feel the love of Christ in our efforts,” Blair said.

Information provided by Mary Thacker.

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Resolve to make a difference: First Presbyterian Rockwall offers many ways to serve

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