Being His hands and feet to do good things
We spoke to Chris from Ebenezer Church in Horfield about a recent story…
“Following ‘The Noise’ event this year, we were approached by a local lady, who is connected to our church via a telephone befriending scheme that was set up during the first Covid-19 lockdown, for help with some things in her garden. She has been struggling with her physical and mental health, and was desperate for some assistance to sort out the fencing and decking in her back garden. While she had been able to make a start on her own, the knock on effect to her body was now causing severe pain.
“Living just around the corner from our church, it seemed a ‘no-brainer’ that we should see if we could find a way to help her out. All it took was a little bit of coordination, to work out the practicalities of the task ahead and to find a willing volunteer to help out. The task was complete within 3.5 hours and our neighbour was left with a big smile on her face, now able to enjoy her sanctuary outdoors, without the worry of unfinished tasks.
“This isn’t the first time we’ve taken on a small project to help out someone living locally. Why do I do this kind of thing? I think it’s the satisfaction of seeing the enjoyment and the relief that the recipient has - that something that they couldn’t do for themselves has been done for them. So, they appreciate the help.
“For me, I love to be showing God’s love in practical ways – being his hands and feet to do good things for people. I wear the blue t-shirt from ‘The Noise’ weekend all year round, because I see that an awful lot of things that I do, tick the boxes of ‘showing God’s love in practical ways’ - just like the slogan on the back says. I volunteer with foodbank to collect food from supermarkets and I know it’s serving the people who are most in need in our community.
“I’m not a preacher, but I would hope that my actions speak louder than my words. When I interact with family friends who aren’t Christians, I don’t deliberately talk about my faith. Instead, the way I live is observed and I’ve had people come back to me years later to ask about it and share about the influence its had on them and their choices in life.
“The t-shirt symbolises the choice to try and live a way that’s a little bit more meaningful – being God’s hands and feet.”
If Chris’ story inspires you, why don’t you check out the latest training and volunteering opportunities listed on our website for practical ways you can get involved in your community.
In July, we’ll be a short workshop for anyone wanting to learn how to organise a community project, just like Chris.