Read 1 John 3:17-18
“But if anyone has the world’s
goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does
God’s love abide in him? Little
children, let us not love in word or talk, but in deed and in truth.” (ESV)
St. Paul UMC (East Campus) sits
on 16+ acres of land. Our church
building occupies the southeast portion of the property, but in the northwest
portion is a large open field. In 2012,
a group of individuals got permission from the trustees to create a garden in
this area. The fields were plowed, huge
stones were removed (creating a pile 5’ in diameter and 4’ tall), and artifacts
from the past were unearthed (old medicine bottles, ax heads, horseshoes and
old tools). A water system was
installed. Because the soil was very
poor, Earthboxes (containers with growing medium and water) were used for the
produce. Over time, the soil has been
enriched by the generous donation of wood chips by one of our members. The purpose of doing all of this was to grow
vegetables for the needy. Yes, in our
beautiful coastal town of Ocean Springs, MS, we have a homeless population! Those of us who had never been involved in
gardening learned a lot! A few seeds,
when given soil, water, sunshine and a big dose of God’s love and grace, will
grow into beautiful plants and produce vegetables! The produce that came from the garden
(tomatoes, bell peppers, cucumbers, squash, eggplants and okra) was abundant
and was donated to our local feeding operations, Samaritan Ministries and The
Lord Is My Help. What a great feeling
this was! St. Paul members have always
had a heart for those in need. The
garden area requires a lot of labor to maintain, but the rewards are great! It is a worthwhile ministry! 1 Corinthians 3:6-7,
“So
neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God who
makes things grow”.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank you for all you have
done for us. Help us have a heart for
those less fortunate, and a desire to be a part of making life better for
them. These things we ask in Thy name.
Amen.
