Putting Love in Action

"This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth." 1 John 3:16-18

How do we love with actions and in truth? Just a sampling of the projects for Sept: On Sat. Sept. 10th the Ecumenical Community Empowerment Committee will sponsor a Journey for Justice event. It begins at First Christian Church (927 Faraon St. - St. Joseph, MO) at 9 a.m. participants will hear reflections and meditations regarding poverty, and then go out to one of 11 mission sites where they will hear first hand accounts of clients who have been helped in their struggle against the affects of poverty. Both InterServ (Youth Services) and Community Missions (Juda House & Haven) will serve as work sites. Also on Sept. 10th, United Methodists will work on a project for InterServ and Community Missions as part of Serve 2011, a conference-wide service initiative by the Missouri United Methodist Church. On Sunday, Sept. 25, churches will participate in the CROP Walk which supports Church World Service globally and Open Door Food Kitchen and InterServ Mobile Meals locally. Also on Sept. 25th, churches will do service as part of St. Joe Serve, an annual community-wide service event of St. Joe churches.

People are putting their love into action by living out the gospel message of hope and healing.

From the Executive Director

InterServ’s long standing statement of its mission reflects a people filled with faith and purpose, actively involved along this journey of life in reaching out to brothers and sisters in need, so that the receiver and the giver may experience God’s gifts.

Last week, today, tomorrow, and next month the headlines for us will be about the dread, anxiety and devastation of flood waters. People uprooted from their homes, their neighbors, and/or their livelihoods. With questions of how long before we see some relief in receding water levels and the wonder of how do we cope with that sense of powerlessness against the path of Mother Nature.

As with the flood of 1993 people seek basic needs: shelter, food, transitional & permanent housing, clothing, access to health care and inclusion. Inclusion is a community’s message to those affected - that we care about what happens to them. A message that gives hope and builds a network of support for recovery.

Also in the news will be United Way, Red Cross, faith communities, service clubs, businesses, federal, state and local governments, all of which will combine resources, call the community together, and assist people facing crisis and offer support that addresses physical, emotional and spiritual needs.

It is your gifts which allow InterServ to be a part of addressing basic needs and help in the building of a network of support. Those gifts which make emergency food for families available at the InterServ-Calvin Center food pantry, your sharing of clothing items to be given out by volunteers at our free clothing store, and your contributions which allow staff and volunteers to help find resources needed in a long term recovery.

This discussion about natural disasters will mirror the impact of poverty on people’s lives. Last week, today, tomorrow, next month, and next year, the headlines will be about the dread and anxiety of poverty; people uprooted, questions about relief, wonderment of how to cope and escape that sense of powerlessness that poverty brings. We remain mindful that the largest numbers of those affected are children. And it will be faithfully serving people like you who provide for those seeking basic needs, giving a message of inclusion that offers hope which builds a network of support so that all may live their lives more fully and more capably. Peace.

Sorry for the delay in the blogworld, but we are back.


Over the next couple of weeks, the Inter-Serv staff will be blogging its way through the information superhigh way.

Check back for updates by the Inter-Serv Foundation, listing of events, and general information concerning our mission.

You don't want to miss it.