Integrating Gospel with Community from Grace Churches on Vimeo.
Jonathan Carey, pastor of the Ellet Grace Brethren Church in Akron, Ohio, updates a story that was in the November-December 2010 issue of FGBC World. In that issue, ‘Love Your Neighbor’ Comes to Life in Akron, told how the Ellet congregation adopted the Ritzman Community Learning Center, a K-5 elementary school in the Akron public school district, and began to send them school supplies, sponsor pre-school-year fairs, and even cut a hole in the fence between the properties so the church parking lot could be used for after school programs or during special events at the school.
After this video, which was recorded in July 2010, was sent as part of Moderator Bob Fetterhoff’s weekly e-zine last month, Pastor Carey sent an update:
This past fall all the students and staff of the school had their picture taken in front of our building and then they invited us over for a special presentation. They received their results back from the state and were one of two elementary schools in the city to receive an excellent two years in a row. The presented us with a plaque with the picture on it that read, “Your sincere kindness, support, and generosity has helped to make our school achieve ‘Excellence’! Our community ‘grows’ because of you.” They said they couldn’t have achieved this wtihout the help and support of our ministry. They also made posters with the picture, which went to the city council and mayor. We continue to build the relationship with the school and just recently baptized a young mom who is thrilled to be growing in her faith and desiring to reach the rest of her family.