hmmm…..
To say that I live in a rural area would definitely be an understatement. My little town is nestled between two pristine lakes and a lovely river that has some of the best trout fishing in the country. Oh, sure, we have our own Wal-Mart, grocery store and post office; but barely outside the city limits you will find winding country roads with no shoulders, an occasional deer bouncing in front of your car and very little in between.
Our church is not so rural. First of all, we are across the street from the city park, so we get lots of traffic passing by. Our building is not white clapboard, but red brick and white trim with a lovely uptown courtyard in between the sanctuary and the church offices and classrooms. More importantly, our congregation is cosmopolitan. It consists of retirees from northern states with big cities. So the world view is broad and the experience of our members is vast.
The county is not the same. There are cabins in the woods with no electricity and no water. And folks live in them full time, not just when they are on a deer hunting excursion. The cultures meet at our local free clinic. Our members actively volunteer there; some of them retired medical personnel, some just compassionate caregivers. They assist diabetics who are too able for Medicaid and too young for Medicare. They make sure that teeth are repaired to present even further damage. In between, they offer a friendly smile or a kindly hug.
Some people might look at our church and say that there is no mission work being done, but I say, look around town, because we are everywhere.
hmmm…..
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