Last Sunday morning, we welcomed Dickson Mulli to a couple of our Worship Services and a Sunday School class to talk about the Mully Children’s Family (MCF). Dickson is the son of Charles Mulli, the founder of MCF. You may recall MCF is a Christian ministry that rescues homeless children from the streets of Kenya and raises them to adulthood. Dunwoody UMC helped arrange for meals from the service event, Foodstock, that partners with Rise Against Hunger to go to MCF. Later, some members of our church went to Kenya to help deliver those meals. Dickson shared with us the tremendous impact of those meals and visit had as well as thanked the congregation for all of their efforts.
That started me thinking about some of the other notes of gratitude the church has received from people who have been served by this congregation.
As you know, each fall we have our Great Day of Service. Literally hundreds of members reach out through a variety of different ministries. One group made shoes that went to an organization called, “SoleHope,” were people were given shoes who might not otherwise have them. From them we received a note of thanks. Another group took “Bags of Blessings” to residents of Wesley Woods Towers in Atlanta. They wrote to say, “Please express our heartfelt thanks to the many, many volunteers at Dunwoody United Methodist Church.”
At Christmas, the church donated gifts to the Mary Hall Freedom House. In their note, they wrote, “Friends like you are empowering women to end the cycle of homelessness, addiction and poverty for themselves and for their children. Thank you for caring about our women and for your support….”
This is just a sampling of the difference DUMC is making in the lives of others. Last year, DUMC was the largest contributing church to Wesley Woods, the Children’s Home and Action Ministries. Through these three organizations, this congregation provided amazing care for the elderly, children, homeless and hungry. Through the Holiday Festival and Habitat for Humanity we raised money and built a home for someone who might not otherwise have had a house in which to live. We will do the same again this year. This church is involved in missions at so many different levels it would be impossible to fit it all into an article like this.
Jesus continually explained to his disciples that the church is to reach out to the poor, the vulnerable and the marginalized. It is not enough to just come to church “to get our needs met.” In his parable of the final judgment, he made it clear that it is in our ministry to others that we encounter him. (Matthew 25:31–45)
It is a joy to me to be the pastor of a church that does so much for others. Thank you for the difference you are making in the lives of others.
Blessings,
Dan