The final action in the traditional list of Corporal Acts of Mercy is giving alms to the poor.  The classic definition of alms is “money or food given to poor people.”

   We tend not to have too many people sitting around on our streets shouting out: “Alms. Alms for the poor.” Yet, we as a church still minister to persons that are in need of assistance.

   At Trinity UMC, we regularly receive calls asking for assistance with utilities, rent, medicine, gasoline, and food. It would be a blessing to be able to respond in a positive manner to all of these requests. Instead, we must judge each request as it comes in. Most people do not get assistance from us simply because we do not have the funds available for assistance. However, some people do receive this modern day equivalent of alms.

   In this modern setting, we never actually give any money to those seeking assistance. If they have a bill, we pay directly to the person or organization to which the bill is owed. If they need food, we purchase the food and give it to them. If they need gasoline, we go to Food City and put the gas in their tank.

   The responsibility of giving alms, however, does not entirely rest with the church. There is nothing that forbids us as individuals from assisting persons that are in need by supplying money or items.

   Therein, lies the opportunity that we have to make a difference and to grow in our level of discipleship. On the one hand, we do need money given to the church so that we can assist individuals in need. The church is grateful for such donations. On the other hand, individuals have the opportunity to not only give “alms” directly to people, but to also directly engage in conversation with the person that is being assisted. It is this more personal touch that I feel is important. The ability to not just hear the person’s need, but to also begin a conversation and, perhaps, enter into an ongoing dialogue. This is the basis for sharing your faith and becoming a stronger disciple.

   Here are some things to consider:

· When you encounter someone seeking alms, don’t just ignore him or her. Say a quick prayer and ask God how you might help out.

· Regularly support opportunities that are given by the church as we seek to minister to groups and individuals.

· Take the time to stop and talk with the person that is seeking aid and, if possible, follow up on your conversation at a later date. Keep the channels of communication open.

· Find a local charity that needs volunteers and get involved.

· Set aside the cost of one fast food meal this week and give the money to the church NOW Team fund so that we can have it available to assist people that come to us.
 

​  This week, I want us to consider the traditional Corporal Work of Mercy: Bury the Dead.

   In the church, death is recognized and acknowledged in ways differently than most other societal institutions. We accept its reality and we stand as a faithful witness in the face of death saying, “O death where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?”

   With faith in the resurrection, we boldly state that the earthly finality of death is but a mere passing from this world to life eternal. However, we don’t neglect the care of those that have experienced death within their family. As the church family, we come together and offer support.

   At Trinity UMC, we have several avenues of support that we offer to a family when it experiences the death of a family member:

· Pastoral visits are made to the home of the surviving family.

· Grief kits, containing paper goods, forks, cups etc,. Along with a booklet for family members to read concerning aspects of dealing with loss, is available to each family in the church. We also send these kits out to friends of our members that we might know in the community.

​· A meal is offered to each family, either at their home or at the church. Sometimes it is quite elaborate, when a large family is involved. Sometimes its just sandwich meats, bread, and other simple snacks when the family is small.

These are the official methods whereby our church ministers to families at the time of death. However, I would like to suggest that there are some unofficial things that you might be able to do to also minister to the grieving family.

· When you learn about a death in our church family, make a phone call to offer your condolences.

· Go to the visitation and offer your condolences.

· Send a card to the family and briefly mention some aspect of the deceased’s life that was special to you.

· Keep open lines of communication with the family in the weeks that follow a death. Often these are the most difficult of times and tend to become the most neglected of times by many of us.

· If the surviving family member now lives alone, consider inviting him or her out to lunch or over to your home for dinner.

· Consider planning out aspects of your own funeral service: music and scriptures you like. Poems that are meaningful to you. Such thoughtful planning would be a big comfort to your remaining family members.

    Perhaps one of the most overlooked of ministries in which a local church can engage is ministries with those that are in prison.

   I have to admit, that this has never been a priority in my ministry. I did not know where to start and, in some ways, it was a scary ministry to ponder. However, there are numerous groups that do engage in such ministries-Kairos being one of which I am aware.  We are situated in a community with a prison. As a matter of fact, within easy driving distance, there are several prisons or regional jails.

   Prisoners face the social stigma that comes from being incarcerated. For some, the love of Christ might be a distant memory—if they have ever encountered and experienced at all. Somehow, we must find ways to keep these men and women, not just is our prayers, but also in our active ministry zones.

   As I ponder this mission field, I think we would to well to consider:

• While someone is incarcerated, there is a good chance that he or she has family, often times children, living in the community that might need or benefit from the ministries of the church. Could we find ways to help these families?
• Not all ministry needs to be face to face ministry. We can team up with groups and organizations, such as Kairos,  that go into the prisons.
• Ministry to those in prison comes with certain restrictions. We would need to explore what is involved and what is allowed as we seek to minister to those in prison. This is where teaming up with an organization already involved in such a ministry could be beneficial.
• Not everyone is going to be cut out for ministry to and with those behind bars.
• Ministry for those in prison, could flow over to persons as they exit the prison system and move back into local communities. It is a time of transition for these individuals and a loving church family might just be the thing to make that transition go more smoothly.
• The Kairos teams (which do ministry with inmates) encourage people who are not comfortable inside a prison to bake cookies, pray or make cards in Sunday school classes with messages for the inmates.
• Helping inmates to stay dedicated to their faith once they're released is the focus of a program in Fort Lupton, Colo. The "Backpack Ministry for the Homeless" program gives a backpack filled with necessities to inmates leaving jail. The backpacks cost $50 to $100 each to put together.

 

    As a pastor, I am given the opportunity to share in people’s lives at some of the most difficult of times for them. One such moment is when someone is sick at home or sick and in the hospital.
    This ministry is a rewarding type of ministry and it is one that can be shared by both the clergy and the laity. There is something almost sacred about getting to share a prayer or a passage of scripture with someone that is sick. Your words, infused with the power of the Holy Spirit, can indeed lift up spirits and make things easier for the person that is sick.
    I would like to suggest that there are a number of ways in which the church, and its members, can be in ministry to and with those that are sick and/or in the hospital.
     Perhaps you could:

• Offer to drive someone to and from a doctor’s appointment.
• Offer to bring a meal into the house so that the person can spend time recovering and not cooking meals.
• Volunteer to help in the local hospital. Several of our members already engage in this ministry.
• Sit with family members in the waiting room as their loved one undergoes surgery.
• Pray with someone before he or she goes into surgery.
• Offer to pick up medicine from the pharmacy, do a quick errand, or take a bill to the post office.
• Become an organ donor. Your death could provide life to someone else.

  I also found the following suggestions on the US Council of Catholic Bishops web site:

• Give blood. Blood banks always need donors.
• Spend time volunteering at a nursing home – Get creative and make use of your talents (e.g. sing, read, paint, call Bingo, etc.)!
• Take time on a Saturday to stop and visit with an elderly neighbor.
• Offer to assist caregivers of chronically sick family members on a one-time or periodic basis. Give caregivers time off from their caregiving responsibilities so they can rest, complete personal chores, or enjoy a relaxing break.
• Next time you make a meal that can be easily frozen, make a double batch and give it to a family in your parish who has a sick loved one. 

​“I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink.”
—Matthew 25:35

   By now, most of you know this is the defining scripture for our Mountain Empire Craft Days Bottled Water Give Away. Over the last five years we have battled all kinds of weather and have successfully given away 12,000+ bottles of water. I know you may have thought me a bit touched when I first suggested this ministry. To be honest, it returns very little of immediate value to the church. I don’t know of anyone that has united with our church as a result of this outreach ministry. Yet, I know of 12,000 people that have received a bottle of water.

​   If you look closely at this passage of scripture, you will note that Jesus says, “When you did it unto one of the least of these, my brethren, you did it unto me.” (—Matthew 25:40) I don’t know about you, but that certainly makes it seem worth while. To think that by serving others, we were in essence serving Jesus.

    I say this in relation to my decision not to head up this outreach this year. When I came here five years ago, I said that I would be glad to show you how something is done. That is my role as the equipper talked about in Ephesians 4. However, it is now time for someone else to take the leadership role of this ministry. I can assist, but someone else now needs to come forward and do this ministry. I have “equipped the saints” to make this ministry happen. Now it is time for the saint or saints to step forward and say, “Preacher. I’ll make sure that people get water to drink. I want to make Jesus happy.”

    Water. It’s something we often take for granted, but it is something that we all need. Part of being a disciple and growing in our faith involves stepping up and leading ministries rather than just sitting back and letting someone else do it for you. This is not a difficult ministry, but is does involve a commitment of time to make sure it happens.

   So. Has God begun speaking to any of you about this ministry. We may have the option of doing it in town rather than on the MECC campus. It will all depend upon whether or not the Town of BSG also sponsors a craft festival like they did last year. So. Pray about it and talk with me if you feel God is leading you in that direction. Otherwise, we will not be giving away water this year.
 

    This week, I continue looking at what are traditionally called Corporal Acts of Mercy found primarily in Matthew 25:31-46. This week, I want us to focus on the words: “give shelter to the homeless.”

   I know that for me, the idea of being homeless is an abstract concept. I have always had a roof over my head and a bed on which to lay my head. Unfortunately, this is not always the case for some people.

   I have lived in urban areas where homelessness is quite evident, but, by and large, most of my ministry has been in more rural, small town settings. In these settings, homelessness is present, but it is not as evident. We don’t see men, women and children sleeping on sidewalks. However, that does not mean that there are not men, women and children in the community around us that are in less than desirable living conditions. They may have a roof over their heads, but they may not have access to adequate water, electricity, and other common utilities that most of us take for granted.

   Children come to school dirty and with dirty clothes. Their parents don’t have washers and driers and may not have the shower and bathing facilities that most all of us have.

   In the winter, some struggle with keeping their homes warm. Most of us just turn the thermostat to the desired setting and not think anything else about it.

   Homelessness, it does exist, but maybe in a different form than we would suspect.

   This week, you might want to consider the following things:

· Consider donating money to organizations such as Habitat for Humanity that help to provide homes for people.

· Take the time to do some research and learn about the homeless situation in our community and county.

  In case you are not yet aware, our church is helping a young girl that is coming out of a foster care situation to establish a home. With the help of many of you, we are getting a bed, bedding, housewares and other items needed to set this young woman up with the things that make a home so that she can pursue college.

​   So. We are helping. Perhaps the question we need to ask is, “Are we doing enough?”
 

   This week we are moving outward on our concentric circles to the ring labeled: Acts of Mercy.
  
   For Wesley, acts of mercy are those things that are done to alleviate pain and suffering in others. They could involve feeding people, clothing people, teaching people, providing housing for people or any other activity that made a positive impact in the life of another person.

  As we enter into this ring for the next few weeks, I want us to begin by looking back at our own lives and to think about ways in which people have ministered to us. Has someone ever helped us out with a meal? Has anyone ever visited us when we were sick and in a hospital? Has anyone ever loaned us money when we were in a difficult financial strait? Has anyone ever given us a job when we desperately needed one? Has anyone ever helped us with a medical bill or gotten us to a doctor’s appointment? Has anyone ever provided us a place to stay when we were without a home? Has anyone ever done anything for us or with us that made our life easier or better?

    These questions reflect the kinds of things that Wesley would call an act of mercy. Wesley would say that part of our Christian responsibility was to engage in these actions on a regular basis. He expected a people called Methodist to make a positive impact on the lives of people in their community.

   I am glad that I can say that our church is making a positive impact in several of these aforementioned acts of mercy. However, I don’t want us, at this point, to relegate such acts of mercy to merely something that the church does. I want to remind you that “you” are the church. What are you personally doing to exhibit these acts of mercy in your own life?

​   Remember, that as we engage in these acts, we are also growing in our faith and becoming more Christ like in our attitude towards life. That is the goal of becoming a disciple. To be more Christ like.