“The kingdom of God is a mustard seed in a crack in the sidewalk growing fast that breaks up the stone by reaching deep, spreading wide for the birds to nest. Oh, when you find that shade from the heat and haste, leave your striving and come to rest where the branches spread over broken bread; find heaven in a sparrow’s nest.” - “Oyster Shell” by the Porter’s Gate, feat. Paul Zach
Mustard Seed Migration Grant
a partnership with Trinity Evangelical Presbyterian Church
This spring, Trinity Evangelical Presbyterian Church approached Central with an idea to reach out to the migrant community here in Florence. Through our United Methodist Committee on Relief, we found the Mustard Seed Migration Grant, a $2,000 grant to help churches reach out to–and come alongside of–immigrants and refugees in their communities. The grant’s website states that “the goal of this program is to nurture a deeper understanding and care for the most vulnerable in our communities, assisting them without regard to their race, religion, or status. We also encourage participating congregations to think about what they might do on a long-term basis, how they might get involved in advocacy to address systemic injustices present in immigration policy or consider how they might more completely live into a new understanding of church as the kingdom of God, actively engaged in caring for the most vulnerable in the community.”
Through the month of September, Central will be holding a diaper drive for migrant families in our community who are struggling to provide for the basic needs of their children; and, for their part, Trinity EPC’s existing migrant ministry is using the $2,000 to provide additional support by purchasing other necessities. Through this partnership, we hope to show the city of Florence the power of the Holy Spirit to connect Christians of different faith traditions in the pursuit of the greatest commandment: to love God and love our neighbors.
If you have any questions or have a desire to provide additional help in this area, reach out to Pastor Rusty!