There's a version of church that stays put. Doors open at a certain time, people file in, people file out, and the building sits there the rest of the week.
Love Week is the other version.
For one week this summer, 406 people across Highlands Fellowship went out into Abingdon, Bristol, and Marion and got to work. They filled 551 volunteer opportunities across 37 different projects. Add it all up and it comes to more than 1,100 hours poured into the places we already live.
The work itself was not glamorous. People painted. People cleaned. People repaired things and built things. They served schools, nonprofits, first responders, local organizations, families, and neighbors who needed a hand. And a good bit of it was not work at all, just showing up. Encouraging someone. Praying with someone. Staying long enough to have a real conversation.
Here's the thing we keep coming back to: Love Week has never really been about the projects. A finished paint job is nice. But the reason we go is that every hour served is a chance to tell somebody, without saying it out loud, that they are seen, they are valued, and they are deeply loved by God. That's the part that outlasts the paint.
If you gave a day, or a morning, or a whole week this year, thank you. Because you said yes, people were encouraged, relationships got stronger, and our region caught a glimpse of the hope we've found in Jesus.
This is who we want to be. A church that doesn't just gather. A church that goes.
A few questions worth sitting with
- When was the last time you did something for your neighborhood that nobody asked you to do?
- Who in your community is doing hard, unnoticed work right now, and what would it take for you to show up for them?
- If someone watched how you spent your free time this month, what would they guess you cared about?