Rio Rancho Church Ministries Help Community Together
RIO RANCHO, N.M. – The Rio Rancho Seventh-day Adventist Church and all its ministries have been busy this year combining their efforts and rallying together with spirit to help its community.
On April 3, the church hosted a Community Health Expo. Beginning with landscape cleanup, preparation teams and contacting local agencies and organizations, 20-plus stations were offered as interactive exhibits for about 200 attendees! The most visual being the inflatable “Walk-through Colon.” Perhaps, among the most popular was the “Fruit Kabob” and other healthy food samples booths. All the ministries of the church, including Personal, Health, Sabbath School, Hospitality, Women’s, Youth, Deaconate and Elders, worked together to accomplish this.
This spring, New Mexico had record fires displacing many residents. In May, a quiet call from the NM Red Cross for reader glasses was made to a regional insurance adjuster who relayed the need to a church member who happened to be a ministry leader. It is not a usual request in a disaster, but it makes sense when you leave your home quickly without your readers and have many forms to read and sign to obtain help. Within 24 hours the Rio Rancho church members bought and collected a box filled with over 40 pairs for the immediate need in this one area. The youth also got into the action, and are presently collecting health, hygiene and nutritional items (i.e. lip balm, eye drops, wipes and snack bars), that are unique to firefighters’ needs when they’re out fighting fires for days at a time.
May was also Baby Shower month in New Mexico for Care-Net Pregnancy Centers which offer support and resources for women with an unplanned pregnancy. Besides baby items, the centers requested infant formula. As formula is being shipped to more areas, many mothers still struggle to afford it, even if it is available. Women’s and Personal Ministries worked together to collect items for these needs.
Sometimes, it may feel like church ministries need to sponsor big events or projects, and it is overwhelming, especially for small churches. Nevertheless, working together with two or more–even many–ministries, can make ministry activities much more manageable. The result can be faith-strengthening, inspiring and Spirit-filled! Not to mention the good will spread in the community! Also, these ministries are like small groups to invite quiet attendees to help, increasing member involvement; and to invite new attendees to help, which can be a beginning for Bible study and church membership.
By Carol Schoun
