The Neighborhood Church

   I love our church, Chevis Oaks Baptist Church here in Savannah, Georgia and what I love most is the sense of belonging and community.  Our church is nestled in what is known as "The Farms" of Savannah, a community of wonderful old Savannah families but many homes that have been sold off and have become dilapidated and drug infested. 
   In the mix are our neighborhood children,  many times the innocence of a much bigger chaos. Thank the Lord our church is here and loves their neighbors and yesterday was a perfect example of what a "Neighborhood Church" should look like. A trailer burned..but not just any trailer, the call came that a home was on fire and that "church kids" lived there! We said "we are on the way!"  We stood with the mom as she watched the firemen and the fire take over her home, the home where she raises three children alone. What will she do? She struggles to find the words...
I can't tell you how many times we've stood like this and watched lives fall apart here, stood by as everything someone has slips away...but I tell you the truth, our church steps up! They feel the hurt and they walk alongside the hurting.

     The miracle is that 6 of our Awana children were in that trailer and mom got them out safely.  

On this day after I am reliving what could have been and how today could have been very different if God's hand wasn't on their lives. I know He has a plan for their lives!

     I love our little church,  the immediate calls and offers to help our families, even strangers.  These people live like Jesus and Savannah is so blessed to have them.

I've heard it said many times, "I don't know what people do without a church family?" Truly, I don't either.