Studer Community Institute

A hand for the least of these among us

October 14, 2014
/ Staff Reports
/ community-dashboard

NEWS RELEASE — Pensacola area residents who are homeless, unemployed and otherwise in need are invited to Holy Cross Metropolitan Community Church on Oct. 18 for free haircuts, shaves and massages as part of a community service project called Operation Inasmuch Day. Teams of volunteers from the church are accepting donations of books to be used by the Open Books prison book program, performing maintenance tasks for Sean’s Outpost homeless camp, conducting a social visit and activities for residents at Rosewood Manor nursing home, and beginning work on a playground at the church property. Once complete, the playground will be open to the community. Operation Inasmuch is a national nonprofit that employs proven models to motivate, train and equip churches to move more congregants out of sanctuary seats and into the streets to serve the neediest in their communities. The name of the project is based on a passage in Matthew 25, where Jesus said, “For I was hungry, and you gave me food; I was thirsty, and you gave me drink: I was a stranger, and you took me in: Naked, and you clothed me: I was sick, and you visited me: I was in prison, and you visited me. ... Verily I say unto you, inasmuch as you have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, you have done it unto me.” Operation Inasmuch comes to Holy Cross MCC after two congregants experienced the project in North Carolina and brought it back to the Pensacola church. The Rev. Booth Iburg is leading the Holy Cross MCC Operation Inasmuch effort. “We want to show the love of Jesus to people who may not have seen very much of it lately,” Iburg said. “We do a good job spiritually feeding our church flock, but sometimes we overlook the physical and material need of people just outside of our doors. If someone is hungry, lonely or feels left out or marginalized, it can be hard to convey God’s love. On Operation Inasmuch Day, we are going to show them God’s love in tangible, real-world ways.” Rev. Dr. Jim Merritt, Senior Pastor at Holy Cross MCC, said he is glad the church is continuing Jesus’ work. “Jesus was the first to demonstrate social justice activism on the basis of his relationship with God,” Merritt said. “I'm so happy that Operation Inasmuch gives Holy Cross another opportunity for follow in his footsteps." About 75 volunteers from Holy Cross MCC are expected to participate in the project. Operation Inasmuch Day will begin with a volunteer breakfast at the church at 7:30 a.m. From there, the teams of volunteers will head out to their respective projects. The effort to provide haircuts, shaves and massages for those in need, as well as the Open Books book collection and the playground project, will occur at the church. The other projects will take place in the community. Operation Inasmuch is the latest outreach project at Holy Cross MCC. The church already offers a hot meal and groceries to those in need on Wednesday mornings, a clothes closet and homeless meal under the Interstate 110 served every Thursday afternoon.

Back to Blogs

A hand for the least of these among us

Recent Posts