Community Outreach

Community Service Projects:

The Athens SDA Church is excited to offer to our friends and neighbors the opportunity to learn a new skill. Free to the public, no donations solicited, and everybody welcome! Every Sunday in March from 4pm to 5pm! Please join us for the following classes:

Tutoring/CRCT Help: Bring those challenging homework assignments and other questions across academic areas. We will have tutors ranging from elementary school through beginning college level. Also, with CRCT coming up, come learn some helpful testing hints that will help you succeed!

General Computer Skills: It can be difficult keeping up with the ever changing world of technology. Join us and learn about Microsoft Office, Internet Explorer, and Resume building. Feel free to bring your own lab top.

Health: Answering general questions on health, diet, and life style this class will help anyone with their daily life in this Fast Food world. Also covered will be stretching and flexibility along with other helpful exercise tips.

Guitar Lessons: For all ages, this class will teach the basics of guitar starting with the instrument itself and working into teaching the student how to play. Guitars will be available or bring your own. An excellent opportunity for all ages.

Bible Study: Have a question about God? Faith? The Bible? This is the place for you. A low pressure, all questions welcomed study over the questions you may struggle with daily.

We at the Athens SDA church sincerely hope that you will find one of these classes helpful to you or someone you may know. If you have any questions you may e-mail:
olscotty345@yahoo.com

Our Daily Bread

Community Service Ministries is looking for volunteers to help with "Our Daily Bread", the local soap kitchen, every third Thursday of the month at 10 a.m. Volunteers are needed to help cook and serve food for this very important community outreach mission. This is a self-supporting ministries so please considering donating a little each month by marking your tithe envelope "Meals for the Homeless". Please contact Carol Reese to sign up to volunteer or about making a donation. Athens Urban Ministries office number is 706-353-6647 and the website is www.athensactionministries.net.

See article below for more information on "Our Daily Bread".
Caine: It takes a village to run a soup kitchen
By Lisa Caine

Columnist

   The phrase "It Takes a Village to Raise a Child" was popularized by Hillary Clinton a few years ago. It takes a village to accomplish many things that we cannot do successfully on our own. One of these is to run a soup kitchen.
   Perhaps you are familiar with Our Daily Bread, a soup kitchen operating at Oconee St. United Methodist Church. Because of this church's commitment to community outreach, we have been partners in ministry since 1989. But did you know how many people it takes to keep the doors open, the food cooking and tables set to serve close to 50 people for breakfast and 125 people for lunch Monday through Friday, and another 60 or so with a sack lunch on Saturdays?
   Thirty-three churches, as well as individuals and civic organizations provide, prepare and serve the meals. Volunteers come from as far away as Elberton, Madison, Jefferson and Walnut Grove, as well as right here in the Athens area.
   Other volunteers, some of them previous guests of Our Daily Bread, come regularly to help with clean-up, taking out trash, wiping tables, sweeping and mopping floors, or running the dishwasher.
   Still others make weekly trips to the Emergency Food Bank and local grocery stores to pick up surplus items. Others give time and materials regularly to clean and wax the floors. Still others format and edit our quarterly newsletter and deliver it to the post office ready for mailing.
   And then there are the Christmas volunteers who come with Santa hats and gifts to make sure each guest leaves our Christmas dinner (which also is completely provided, cooked and served by volunteers) with a remembrance.
   This past Thursday, the Program Committee of Athens Urban Ministry recognized these volunteers with an appreciation banquet held at First Baptist Church. Even this meal was provided, cooked and served by volunteers! It was a small way to say ''thank you.''
   This village of volunteers has taken to heart Jesus' words, ''I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink; I was a stranger and you welcomed me ... just as you did it to one of the least of these, you did it to me.''

Lisa Caine is the pastor at Oconee Street United Methodist Church and the director of Athens Urban Ministry.

Published in the Athens Banner-Herald on Saturday, October 11, 2003.

Web links:

Community Services Online

Community Services Resources

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