By Sarah Whitman
Senior Staff WriterHelping others comes naturally to members at Zephyrhills Wesleyan Church. So, when the church’s senior pastor, D an David, started a ministry specifically for community service, members jumped at the chance to make a difference.
“We sat down as a church and said, what do we need to do,” David said. “That’s when we started Lend-a-hand, as a way to be of service to others.
The Lend-a-Hand ministry meets at 6 p.m. Wednesday nights at the church, 38924 Central Ave. Participants work on projects like clean-ups in the community, visiting the elderly, baking meals for the needy and volunteering for local non-profits. Many times the acts are done anonymously. For instance, when ladies bake cookies to take to the fire department or local school offices, they drop the goodies off without a note.
“We aren’t looking for recognition,” Lois Hackney, church treasurer, said. “We’re Christians. It’s what we’re suppose to do.”
Hackney attends every Lend-a-Hand event and is most involved with the church’s Angel Food Ministry, a source of food to low-income families in need. Families and individuals can order groceries from a monthly menu at a low discounted price. Church members receive, sort and then distribute the goods.
“It’s very important to reach out to people outside the church,” Hackney said. “Angel Food is good because people who can’t afford food are able to feed their families.”
Hackney said not all projects have to be big. Sometimes, people at Lend-a-hand spend a Wednesday night writing out cards to send, or stuffing envelopes to get the word out about an important upcoming event.
“Sometimes we collect coupons, then sort them out so people at the church can use them,” Hackney said.
Wesleyan member Adelaide Blume believes simple acts of kindness can change a person’s outlook on life.
“Kindess is what our faith is about,” Blume said. “We reach out to others to let them know they are important and they matter, to us and to the Lord.”
Blume has volunteered for Angel Food and many other efforts, including as an assistant at the Hernando-Pasco Hospice thrift stores. Her favorite thing to do is to work with people one-on-one, whether by visiting homes or striking up a conversation during service hours.
“It’s an opportunity to get to know other people and for me to share my life with them,” she said. “It fulfills a need within myself.”
Jim Green gets emotional when he talks about Lend-a-hand.
“There are so many people hurting in our community today,” he said. “To know that you’ve been able to help them is unbelievable.”
Green has attended Wesleyan for five years and helps out whenever he can.
“If people see us spreading love in the community, that’s a good thing,” he said.
Lend-a-hand volunteers try to make giving a part of their daily lives. Blume remembers to thank community workers for doing their part to make Zephyrhills great.
“Our policeman and teachers don’t get paid enough and they don’t receive enough recognition,” she said. “Baking some cookies and taking a plate to them is a way to show we care.”
David agrees.
“Something as simple as making a phone call to say hello and offer encouragement is important,” he said.
Since starting Lend-a-hand last September, David has seen church members step up to help in more ways than he imagined. Between eight and 30 people attend meetings each week, making it easy to spread a message of hope throughout Zephyrhills and surrounding areas.
“I tell my congregation, don’t just sit in church, get out and do something,” he said. “If you live in a community, you’re a part of it.”
For information or to get involved with Lend-a-Hand, call (813) 782-7510.
