To the Point:
The trouble with fighting for human freedom is that one spends most of one's time defending scoundrels. For it is against scoundrels that oppressive laws are first aimed, and oppression must be stopped at the beginning if it is to be stopped at all.
- HL Mencken
My theory is that if you look confident you can pull off anything - even if you have no clue what you're doing.
- Jessica Alba
Bureaucracy defends the status quo long past the time when the quo has lost its status.
- Laurence J. Peter
People ask for criticism, but they only want praise.
- W. Somerset Maugham
There's so much pollution in the air now that if it weren't for our lungs there'd be no place to put it all.
- Robert Orben
This matter looks to me of minor consequence in comparison with the spirit you have brought into your faith... The most convincing testimony that we can bear to others that we have the truth is the spirit which
attends the advocacy of that truth. If it sanctifies the heart of the
receiver, if it makes him gentle, kind, forbearing, true and
Christlike, then he will give some evidence of the fact that he has the genuine truth.
- Letter 83, 1890, in The Ellen G. White 1888 Materials, p. 632
Men,
it has been well said, think in herds; it will be seen that they go mad
in herds, while they only recover their senses slowly, and one by one. - Charles Mackay
The only thing to do with good advice is pass it on. It is never any use to oneself.
- Oscar Wilde
The more things change, the more they remain insane.
- Michael Fry and T. Lewis
Got a favorite quote? Send it to BestPractices@ameritech.net. |
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Small Town, Small Church:
"No Space, No Money, and We're All Too Old!"
by Ken Ferguson, Manchester, Ohio
My church members weren't encouraging. I'd told them I felt God wanted us to start a service ministry in tiny Manchester, Ohio, a poor, rural Appalachian community of about 2000, where there were no social services. They knew our town well, they said, and the local businesses weren't going to be receptive. Plus, we have no money, no space, and we're all too old!
But God wasn't letting me off the hook. I called Manchester's mayor, Cornelia Dettmer. "How many people do you have to help you?" she asked. And "Where do you want to do this?" "Mayor, we have almost no money," I admitted. "Most of my church members are elderly; and I have absolutely no idea for a location. Mayor, all I have is a dream."
The
dream was enough to get me an invitation to address the village
council. So while my church members prayed, I presented my idea to the
town fathers. The council's answer: "With a dream like that, how can
we say no?" They gave us the old city hall to use - at no cost.
The
mayor's courtroom (the judge's stage is still there) is now the
clothing department; the counter that held the emergency dispatch
radios is the intake center; the jail houses the food pantry, with bunk
beds once slept in by incarcerated criminals modified to shelve the
food supply.
The Community Care Center is open 2 days a week. When we started in August, 2002 we served 40 families a month with 2000 items of food and 3500 items of clothing. We now serve that many each day we're open.
We depend on donations and volunteers - most not from our church. We stock the food pantry at a Cincinnati food bank, and receive federal and state food aid. We've developed partnerships with the Lions Club, Eagles Club, local schools, Boy and Girl Scouts, Kroger's and IGA supermarkets, Shawnee State University and many individuals. The Methodist and Presbyterian churches are major supporters - the Methodist pastor is at the center almost as much as I am.
Manchester is thrilled! Mayor Dettmer has declared September 7 Community Care Center Day, with a street fair in our honor.
Our 35 member church is a bit stunned at what has happened, and they thank me for pushing forward even when they were skeptical. After years of being invisible, they're now known to everyone. And yes, we have had some baptisms!
Ken has served this small church district for 14 years! You can contact Ken at ferg76@roadrunner.com. |
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