What Resource Can We Offer?

Charles Conkin | March 25, 2020

I was encouraged this week by the numerous emails and phone calls from you all. Your offers to help and desire to share food and ideas bring brightness to my days. It is such a testament to our love of God and love for one another that we want to help and share what we can.

I wish we had a stockpile of gloves, or gowns, or facemasks in a time like this, not for hoarding or profit, but rather to donate to those facing infection each day as they give care for the people of our city. I’m sure you join in my frustration as we contemplate what we have to offer.

There may be other opportunities to help with food pantry items at the church, appreciation boxes for hospital staffs, or support of our local schools. We want to mindfully and wisely choose the best path of action for our world as each day brings new challenges and new opportunities. Social distancing is disrupting our usual patterns of help during crisis, and we are learning along the way. Presently, I encourage you to take advantage of these ways you can help right now:

1. Soon you will see a Facebook group page as a platform for you to join and share ideas and websites that can help us all keep our sanity.
2. Members of Central Baptist Church have created a food response team. If you don’t want to leave your home or are in need financially, please contact me at charles@lexcentral.com.
3. Call someone in the church and offer words of hope.
4. Write a card or note to someone on the prayer list. The staff can give you an address if you need it.
5. Write an e-card to the residents at Sayre Christian Village. Just follow the link: https://www.sayrechristianvillage.org/send-an-ecard/

Over the last few days, very difficult days, my head has been spinning trying to think of the best response to the question I’ve been asking myself, what resource can I offer? Like I said, I have a wish list of items that I don’t have. I have great ideas to gather people together, but that seems counter-productive. But what I have caught myself saying over and over is that the best resource the church can offer today is grace--the abundance of God’s kind of love.

So I make a plea for all of us to give grace. Give grace to your kids when they become wild from being cooped up all week. Give grace to your parents and spouses when they ask you to help out around the house. Give grace to the grocery stores that may not have your brand of toilet paper. Give grace to our leaders when more restrictions come down. Give grace to your co-workers who forgot about the Skype meeting. Give grace to your neighbors and pets and rain clouds. And give grace to yourself for not knowing what challenges tomorrow will bring.