By Sharon Mager
BALTIMORE, Md.—Infinity Church, Baltimore, had its annual Thanksgiving outreach dinner last week, drawing about 80 people for food and fellowship.
“We include outreach in our annual budget, so the church is able to provide the food,” Pastor Jeremy Dickson explained. “Our people sit and minister with the guests who attend.”
The church meets at The League for People With Disabilities, 1111 East Cold Spring Lane in East Baltimore. Visitors came from Marble Hall Garden Apartments, adjacent to the facility. Students from Morgan State University also attended.
This year’s dinner also brought several Embrace Baltimore missionaries together for a reunion. Brandy Caffey, who helped start Infinity, Baltimore, in 2009 returned from Texas to lend a hand. Maria and John Kovaks also attended. John is a pastor at The Light Church and his wife, Maria, serves in a pastoral/administrative role. All three worked with the Embrace Baltimore effort. Long Green Church also sent a team of volunteers to help with the event.
John and Maria provided arts and crafts activities for the children.
“A part of me will always be in Baltimore,” Brandy Caffey said. Though she enjoys living in Texas, she is happy to not only assist Infinity when she is able, but also to bring teams from Texas. Last year, she brought a team to help with Vacation Bible School and in 2013, she will bring a team from Mobberly Baptist Church, Longview, Texas, to do a sports camp ministry. Caffey serves as a minister of prayer and community outreach at the Mobberly Church.
Caffey was thrilled to see that at least one family she had ministered to, and had been rejected, while working in Baltimore was at the dinner and shared how they had come to know Jesus.
Dickson said the annual dinner is a great opportunity to minister and get to know the community. Many who attend are aware of the church because of the sports camps, backpack give-aways and coat drives. The dinner gives a little more time for folks to really share a bit about themselves.
It also provides basic needs for those struggling. Styrofoam containers were provided so guests could take home leftovers.
“The Gospel is shared,” Dickson stressed. Not in an overpowering way, but visitors are given cards to respond as to whether they want to know more about the church, if they want to make a commitment to follow Jesus, or if they want to be baptized. There were several responses on the cards and Dickson is happily, and prayerfully following up.