The Church has left the building

By Sharon Mager

FREDERICK, Md.— First Baptist Church of Frederick members decided they wanted to put their faith in action, collectively, as a body, on a Sunday morning. On May 7, church members met briefly before heading out into their community to be the church of the living God, loving neighbors. Their logo was “The Church Has Left the Building.”

Volunteers provided child care at the church building while older children, youth and adults h
elped at a homeless shelter and at the Frederick Rescue Mission. They took breakfast to a police and a fire station,
prepared a vegetable garden at a local elementary school, led worship at a nursing home, distributed prayer shawls they had knitted, worked at a community garden for the poor, prepared comfort kits for children being transported to their foster homes and several other activities.

“We wanted people in the community and our people to know that this is who we are. We don’t just gather to do ‘our stuff,’ but we’re here to serve in community and be Christ’s presence in the world,” said Eubanks.

 

The church’s missions committee organized the event through the Sunday School classes. Each class chose their project. Those who didn’t attend Sunday school chose which group to work with.

“Before we left, we had a communion table set up in the middle of the worship center, so people could come and take communion to remind us of who we are and who we were doing this for,” Eubanks explained.

“We really did want to serve without strings,” he said. There was no expectation that those served should make donations or come to the church. It was just showing acts of love to the community—truly being the body of Christ.