A Lima church is expanding their community outreach with a new ministry home.
Part of St. Marks United Methodist Church’s mission is to help those in our community who struggle to find their footing after deciding to turn their life around.
The church recently purchased and remodeled a two bedroom home that sits right behind their church that will be used to house people like recovering addicts or those who are rebuilding their life after being released from prison.
Ted Bible, the pastor at St. Marks United Methodist Church says, “Chirst has called us to be in mission. He’s called us to feed the hungry and we have a food pantry in our church, we have a free store at our church, we provide food and that kind of thing. This is actually kind of the next step in our ministry in our mission. What we need to do and what we need to be doing.”
Members of the church were welcome to tour the home after Sunday service and check out the hard work that was put into it. Parishioners helped with getting the home looking move-in ready, and most of the furniture was donated by local organizations.
Family Promise of Lima was invited to come look at the new home, and they say that it’s great to have another way for people in our community to find help.
Michelle Porter, the administrative assistant/case manager at Family Promise says, “A lot of people have been down that road, I’ve been down the road of addiction and recovery, and to have people have hope that they can change and their life can turn around, and to have the church in the back yard is amazing.”
The church is also looking to help out families who are struggling with homelessness.
Bible says, “Our vision was to provide a home for them that is safe, secure, near our church, that’s the initial idea. Since then we’ve had further conversations and ideas . With the homeless situation in Lima and Allen County, we want to be able to be available to help families.”
The church says they are still figuring out the details on their rehabilitation program for those who will be staying in the home, and plan on working with other local organizations in the process.
