Christ Cares Community Service Day
In early June, the members of Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in Iowa City organized a day to serve others in the community. It was called the Christ Cares Community Service Day. The morning began with worship, the members then spread out into the community to serve, and everyone returned for a meal together.
There were 25 varied opportunities to volunteer including visiting, playing games, reading, Bible study with nursing home residents and hospital patients, cleaning in homes, painting, yard work, visiting with hospitalized veterans, making cards for those in nursing homes and hospitals, helping at the Summer of the Arts festival, and a free car wash at Our Redeemer.
Many of the service opportunities were generational friendly. One picture shows three families all painting together, children from the age of 3 to adults in their mid-60’s.
One group went to the Ronald McDonald House and prepared a meal for the families staying there. The meal was so appreciated that the staff and the families signed a thank you card to the church for taking special care of them. It is amazing how a simple act of preparing a meal can mean so much.
Another group worked with the Greater Housing Fellowship. They did yard work, painting, and general house maintenance. When the volunteers left, one of the residents was in tears because the volunteers cared about her.
Our Redeemer had a successful first year and look forward to many more years of serving God in the community in this way. Praise God from whom all blessings flow!
