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Refugee Family to WaynesboroOur family and Welcome Team are continuing to integrate with our community. The mom is enrolled in an online English class. Health checkups and COVID vaccinations are completed. Adult DMV ID cards are in process, toured the Brite bus, and the children are learning to ride bikes. Financial education is being provided, and the children play and learn daily with volunteers and their families, to prepare for school next month.
Monday, May 1st, Westminster Presbyterian and Grace Lutheran moved in a family of eight, who had travelled 48 hours straight to fly from their refugee camp in Tanzania, through Qatar, all the way to Washington D.C., then to Harrisonburg on April 27th. A crew from both congregations did a lot of work to provide a welcoming home for the family. Thanks to all who donated items, and helped to arrange and clean the house, getting it ready for their arrival. Check out the photos below. Prayer Vigil for
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Morning Prayer service Wednesdays at 10am in the Grace chapel Youth from Grace, St. John Roman Catholic and Westminster Presbyterian churches spent an afternoon at Waynesboro Area Refuge Ministry, sorting donated clothing for the Cold Weather Shelter, cleaning up fallen branches from the WARM House yard, and learning about the reality of homelessness in our area, including some fellow students at school.
Grace Youth participate in a "Green Hanger Project" - Grace youth with youth from four other downtown-area congregations for the second Youth Service Group event, that kicked off November of last year. This time, the Youth met at Embrace Community Center, located in the building of the former Wayne Hills United Methodist Church. The Youth sorted through clothes donated primarily for High School youth, to have good clothes for school and the seasons of the year, which is the focus of Embrace's "Green Hanger Project." In addition to sorting clothes male/female, and warm/cold weather, the youth were also entrusted to sort clothes for wear and tear, and for "wearability" - clothes would be the type that youth would want to wear without being made fun of - with the usable clothes not selected to be donated to local senior facilities with populations who do not have resources to buy their own clothing. Some of our Youth also prepared "orders" of clothing placed by Youth in need, based on the gender and clothing sizes, picking from sorted clothing and shoes from the Green Hanger Project. Pastor Jenelle Watson, who serves as Embrace's director, as well as serving at Calvary UMC in Stuart's Draft, gave a wonderful history of Wayne Hills UMC and Embrace, and shared with the Youth the importance of providing these clothes to local youth. She began this clothing ministry to youth after noticing children in the local school she was volunteering at wearing summer clothing in winter, and the same clothing each day. Further investigation revealed the need was far beyond just a family or two. The ministry now serves hundreds in our area, and the idea has spread to other areas of the country. |
Waynesboro Youth
prepared a dinner meal for over 40 Afghan refugees who are staying at Massanetta Springs conference just outside of Harrisonburg. These refugees helped the American mission in Afghanistan, and could not stay in their own country because of fears for the safety and/or life. |
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A group of 32 from Grace (six from Grace) Westminster Pres, First Baptist, St. John the Evangelist Roman Catholic, and St. John Episcopal churches assembled a meal of chicken, flavored rice, fruits, vegetables and dessert. The group also prepared cards and made a video of greeting and well wishes for the refugees.
The Refugees are staying at Massanetta into the New Year; Church World Service is working to establish the refugees in the area in the New Year, and will be working with churches to provide housing, supplies, and perhaps most importantly, friendship to these families.
The Refugees are staying at Massanetta into the New Year; Church World Service is working to establish the refugees in the area in the New Year, and will be working with churches to provide housing, supplies, and perhaps most importantly, friendship to these families.
Work Day At Grace Lutheran
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We are a congregation with a rich history and a bright future. At Grace Church, we proclaim God’s amazing grace and all-inclusive love by welcoming people from all walks of life and different faiths. Following our Lord’s teachings and example of embracing hospitality, we truly embrace our purpose statement: “A Community of Servants Sharing in the Word and Work of Jesus.” We are simply glad you are with us. |
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Pastor Pingel's News Virginian
Article December 2021
Pingel: Pandemic seems to be speeding time up January 2022! We will be coming upon a new year once again. Many have pondered how time flies by. Oddly, the pandemic seems to be speeding things up, rather than slowing things down. Continue reading |
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