One of the greatest challenges in serving the Lord is showing the love of the Father to His children in every interaction,” says Cathy Kissner, director of Adventist Community Services for the Rocky Mountain Conference. She believes that the connection to Him is demonstrated in the way workers greet volunteers, speak to representatives from other service agencies, or meet the needs of clients.
Over the years Cathy has worked with many volunteers and has observed that the most effective ones are those who are consciously connected to the mission that Christ modeled for us—feeding, healing and strengthening those in need.
Here is a glimpse of Jesus at work in various communities around the Rocky Mountain Conference:
Pueblo First Church
The Pueblo First Church, in conjunction with an organization called Foster Parents, provides a tote bag filled with items needed by children in foster care, such as blankets and hair and toothbrushes. Kathy Hayden leads another group of volunteers from Pueblo First Church who collect sleeping bags for the homeless.
Loveland Community Service Center
The Loveland Community Service Center blessed the children of their clients by holding a Christmas party. The large Christmas tree bordered by a table full of stuffed animals captivated the children. The room was filled with music and laughter as staff and guests played musical chairs, staged a “snowball” fight with wadded-up newspapers, and engaged in other interactive games.
Along with cookies and juice, the children received a bag (courtesy of Kaiser Permanente) containing a Dorcas-made quilt, stuffed animal and specialty soap.
Campion Church
The Campion Church got involved when a small tornado touched down near Carter Lake just west of Berthoud. They created 10 kits filled with essential kitchen supplies to get families back up and cooking again. Additionally, they also filled baskets with useful items and delivered them to the Berthoud Fire Department to be distributed to families impacted by the tornado.
Fort Collins Pathfinders and Adventurers
The Fort Collins Pathfinders and Adventurers created 16 Thanksgiving baskets from the 1,625 cans of food they had collected, along with fresh produce. The young people delivered these to families needing an extra boost during the holiday season.
Throughout the year, thousands of individuals in our conference are impacted by daily events, family tragedies, loss of jobs and other unforeseen disasters. As volunteers give aid and assistance, they show in practical ways the love of the Father to His children.
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Information provided by Cathy Kissner, Adventist Community Services director for the Rocky Mountain Conference.
