Published on November 28, 2023, 2:12 am

Image source: Fox News

The Life Christian Church in West Orange, New Jersey, upheld its annual tradition of giving during Thanksgiving by distributing food baskets worth over $30,000. Maintaining a practice that it has held dear for nearly two decades, the church coordinated efforts to assist community members needing aid during this holiday season.

The congregation worked together to compile and distribute 250 food baskets within the community. An impressive team of 60 volunteers assembled these collections in the week leading up to Thanksgiving. These food baskets were chock-full with thanksgiving favorites such as potatoes, cranberry sauce, stuffing mix, biscuits and other indispensable elements of a traditional meal. To gather necessary items for this benevolent initiative, flyers were handed out within the church asking congregants to donate before November 15th. Donations included both items for the food basket and monetary contributions meant to further their noble cause.

In an effort to meet need in the community more adequately, The Life Christian Church allowed for additional time beyond the original deadline for donations. The cut-off was extended until November 17th allowing congregants added opportunities to provide items meant exclusively for assembling these vital Thanksgiving meals.

Each basket arranged did not only feature standard Thanksgiving dinner ingredients but also supplemental groceries intended to sustain families with wholesome meals throughout the following week too. This year marked an inspiring milestone – it represented sixteen years consecutively where this church of nearly 3,000 members engaged in such charitable work.

Terry Smith, Lead Pastor at The Life Christian Church mirrored their ethos – “Our mission at TLCC extends beyond merely being a place of worship where people experience God’s love; we strive towards fostering an atmosphere that draws our congregation back into society serving others in Christ’s name.”

His sentiment is one rooted in a core principle of their faith: service-based initiatives like these are fundamental aspects of their identity as devout followers of Jesus Christ. Beyond projects fixed around specific times such as Thanksgiving or Christmas drives described earlier, they remain committed to regularly serving in various capacities all year around.

The pastor offered insights about Life Christian Church’s philosophy recalling the previous event during Christmas 2019 when over a thousand food kits were assembled. Their primary value is being “enthusiastic servants of all” and this belief shone through their community service efforts. Pastor Smith underscored that these actions embody an indispensable part of being a Christ-follower – “We want our Paramus campus church to be recognized as a beacon spreading His love throughout Bergen country, with helping families in need constituting one method.”

Individual testimonials from these endeavours speak volumes about their impact. One beneficiary expressed her relief upon receiving the food basket as she otherwise would have been unable to prepare a Thanksgiving meal for her grandchildren. The congregation continues to actively put their faith into action, proving once again that real news anchored in trusted church initiatives can work towards creating significant positive change.

In an inspiring display of nationwide communal effort, other churches alike were seen engaging in similar ventures. Lawndale Baptist Church in Greensboro, North Carolina matched this spirit by also catering to over 1,000 people via a drive-through event. Churches like Life Christian and Lawndale Baptist further reinforce how Christian worldviews encourage compassion, lending strength to communities everywhere.