…from Pastor Jonathan

“So which of these three do you think was neighbor to him who fell among the thieves?”

And he said, “He who showed mercy on him.”

Then Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”

Sometimes moments in life trigger verses from Scripture in my mind. This week as the storms rolled through our community and images of devastation began to fill my social media feeds, Jesus’ words from the Parable of the Good Samaritan began to ring out. Not, “Which of these three do you think was neighbor to him?”, but “Go and do likewise.”

We have a chance to do extraordinary good for our neighbors in Pembroke and North Bryan County. We can give of what we have to bless families and communities that have been displaced by the tornadoes and severe weather this week.

I want us to be a good neighbors. I want to be among those who “Go and do likewise” at Jesus’ command, among those who care for the broken and hurting. I want to be part of a church who doesn’t watch people suffering around them and just walk idly by.  So, I’m asking you to make a difference this week by contributing to the relief efforts. There is a list of items below this article that you can donate at the church as well as opportunities to give funds to support the ongoing relief work.

The reality for us is that we won’t just be picking our neighbors up and dusting them off for the next few weeks, but we will have to commit to loving and serving them well over the next year as the recovery continues.

I believe that this can be a defining moment for us as we respond to the needs around us and become the kind of church that God wants us to be.

God bless and let’s start neighboring well,

Jonathan Smith

For Jesus. For People. For Community.