Springdale Adventist Fellowship Opens God’s Closet
SPRINGDALE, ARK. – In the vision statement of Springdale Adventist Fellowship (SAF), it states: “Impacting others by making disciples who inspire hope and reflect the character of God.” On Aug. 7, 2022, SAF made a huge impact in their community by opening God’s Closet. This event had been put on hold for the past few years due to limitations with the COVID-19 pandemic, but it was so exciting to see the hard work of so many come to life again. Within the first hour of opening, over 80 families from the community were served. In less than four hours, almost 300 individuals from the Springdale area were blessed by this project. Cynthia West is our project leader and with her dedication and hard work, and that of the many volunteers and God’s blessing, this event was a huge success. God’s Closet is a ministry that helps churches engage with their communities. SAF collected new and gently used children’s clothes and shoes and had community families come and shop for children’s clothing for only a $1 entry fee.
“For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.” Matthew 25:35-36.
The world is changing and there are more families that are having a tough time, now more than ever. In addition to providing clothing, volunteers from our church prayed with participants and assessed community needs. If there were additional needs such as food shortages, they were referred to the food pantry at Springdale Adventist Fellowship that is open every Thursday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Plans are already in place for future “God’s” events at SAF, and they are already collecting additional donations for this. With the resounding success of the first event, and with the increased challenges putting a strain on the world, these missions serving our community are more important than ever.
By Danita Mullins
