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Today was our JC Community Ministry Team’s Unity Service for our entire settlement. We have 7 churches in JC and for as long as we can remember there hasn’t ever been a service solely for the purpose of unity.
The Community Ministry Team in JC has been planning this service for about a month now, with high hopes of having good turn out and participation.
One purpose behind the Unity Service was to highlight the settlement’s clinic renovation project. For 2 years now, we’ve been working on garnering community involvement for volunteering and partnering towards repairing the community clinic.
The service began with a march through the settlement (also in honor of Palm Sunday). At we marched through town our parade would grow as we passed by each new church as added their members to our procession.
When we finally reached the middle of town we all gathered together, and along with those on the stage we celebrated unity in the Body of Christ, our Lord’s triumphal entry, and the beginning of Holy Week.
I was very impressed to see the turn out that we got for the march and service. We went well beyond our preparation for chairs, programs, and food in terms of those who actually showed up.
Not only did we get such great participation, but the service itself was encouraging. We had prayers for our community, for unity, for the youth, for Haiti, and for the clinic. We also received an offering to donate to the clinic which exceeded my expectations.
Most of all it was such a blessing to see all the churches in our little settlement, (despite their doctrinal difference and checkered history) come together under the banner of unity. Emily said she started to cry as they were marching while everyone was singing at the top of their lungs, “When we all get to heaven.” It was like she could see a small glimpse of the unity we will one day share!