The Delta Junction (Alaska) Church, with the leadership of pastors Celesta and Zack Babb, have begun “Ministry Sabbaths” as an outreach to the community. In June, church members baked more than 700 cookies to be handed out as a “get to know you” outreach. The goal was to meet people in their homes, spend a minute to get acquainted and offer help for any needs we might be made aware of. Many contacts were made. During the sharing time afterwards, several needs were presented. It was really a rewarding activity for a small church with about 40 to 50 people in attendance on any given Sabbath.
One visit was to an 80-year-old lady who lives alone. The members who stopped by that day saw a big pile of wood that needed to be split and stacked. They asked her if she was going to split it. She said she always does. They told her the church had a group of people that would be glad to come back another day and split it for her. About a dozen people, armed with four log-splitters, returned to split and stack the wood for her. She was so grateful.
Three weeks later the woman called, saying how much she appreciated the help and saying she had received another load of wood. She very much hated to ask but wondered if it would be possible to help her once again. The response was positive and immediate. Thirteen members showed up with three wood-splitters. In two hours they split and stacked the load of wood and even cleaned up the mess of bark they had created.
What a witness to the community! The Delta Junction Church members have made a real response to Christ’s commission to "love your neighbor as you love yourself."
