Community Service

News about First Reformed’s Community Service and Mission Work:

First Reformed supports many community organizations and activities with the time, talents, and resources of our members and our church.

  • Meals on Wheels uses our kitchen Monday through Friday each week to prepare meals for recipients in the city limits of Lexington.  They serve approximately 125 meals daily.  Many of our church members assist with meal delivery.
  • Our members stay at the Crisis Ministry homeless shelter one night per month.  Also, organizations within the church serve the evening meal at the shelter one night every other month.  Currently they are serving approximately 60 people.
  • We provide benevolent gifts to several community organizations, including Communities in Schools, Crisis Ministry, Davidson County Alcoholic Care, Davidson Medical Ministries, Family Life Center, Family Services of Davidson County, Habitat for Humanity, Hospice of Davidson County, Lexington Housing CDC, Lexington Prison Chaplaincy, Pastor’s Pantry, and Salvation Army. 
  • Our members participate in the annual Crop Walk and Touching Davidson County with Love events.
  • We provide benevolent gifts to United Church of Christ organizations, including Black Lake Retreat, Blowing Rock Conference Center, Catawba College, Elon University, Elon Homes for Children, Johns River Valley Camp, Lancaster Theological Seminary, Nazareth Children’s Home, Our Church’s Wider Mission, and Piedmont Retirement Home.
  • We also support special UCC missions such as, One Great Hour of Sharing, Veterans of the Cross, Neighbors in Need, and Strengthen the Church.

 

Community Garden Blossoms

Thanks to church members and community supporters, the First Reformed UCC Community Garden had a successful first growing season.  Approximately 15 church volunteers constructed the raised bed garden with a cross-shaped center bed in May of 2011. Davidson County Cooperative Extension provided technical assistance for the development of the garden.

In late May 2011, volunteers and the church youth planted squash, zucchini, two types of cucumbers, green beans, tomatoes, corn and melons. Children from the church also painted a colorful design on a repurposed playground shelter to be used as a garden tool shed.

Local businesses and individuals donated more than $500 dollars worth of top soil, lumber, hardware, plants and other supplies. The Lexington Garden Club provided a “seed” grant of $500, which was used to purchase hoses and partially cover the installation of a permanent water line to the garden site. To date, almost $1,700 has been donated for the garden, including $300 from Women’s Life Fellowship and another $500 from the Lexington Garden Club.

From June through October 2011, the garden produced nearly 750 items of produce (including 400 tomatoes) for Pastor’s Pantry.  Church members augmented this harvest with surplus produce from their home gardens, including more than 100 ears of corn and 40 peppers. Pastor’s Pantry director Bill Keesler commented, “The vegetables produced in 2011 were a delicious treat for our clients, especially senior adults who might have given up growing their own vegetables. “

Church volunteers have been preparing for this year’s garden and have already planted carrots, lettuces, sugar peas, spinach and marigolds.

 

TOUCHING DAVIDSON COUNTY WITH LOVE

“Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.”              1 Peter 4:10

Many of our congregation did this by joining in the combined efforts of the eleven churches who participated in Touching Davidson County with Love this year.  Collectively, these efforts included over 300 volunteers and 20 jobsite assessors involving 24 projects.

Our church had a project coordinator, 2 project managers and 20 volunteers participating in nine projects.  Thanks to all who volunteered.  They were as follows:

Choral Singing at Nursing Homes:  Lib Sink & Camille Morgan

Delivering meals and gift bags:  Sylvia Walser, Dave Fulton & Glenyce Fulton

Childcare for Children of Volunteers:   Katarina Strenk & Laura Strenk

Porch Repair:  Jeff Hutchens

Making Fleece Baby Blankets:  Nicole Smith

Yard Work:  Led by Jobsite Manager Ted Smith — Adena Wall, Ann Hoffman, & John Smith

Collection of Essential Needs (deodorant):  Lynn Klopp

Floor/Screens/Screen Door Repair:  Led by Jobsite Manager Mark Smith

Bag lunches for FRUCC’s Meals on Wheels recipients:  8 members of the Willing Workers Class

Thanks to Walter Hoffman for participating in the Thursday night Prayer Service.

Thanks to all who donated deodorant which will be distributed by the Department of Social Services to the needy.   Thirty-two stick deodorants and 2 cans of spray were collected.

Thanks also to Paula for getting information recorded in the bulletin, newsletter and on the website.

Thanks to everyone in the congregation for generously donating.  Our church contributed $1,250.  This year’s collection totaled $11,800 (which included a balance left over from last year).

Thanks to Birke McNeill for attending the initial meetings and helping me get acclimated into the position as Project Coordinator for FRUCC.

If you did not get a chance to participate this year, you can look forward to the opportunity to serve next year.

Sincerely,

Lynn Klopp