THE VAN MINISTRY

There are people in our community who would love to come to church, but they just don’t have the means to get there. Public transportation in our small city is infrequent and can be costly. But everyone deserves the chance to attend church.

That’s why I started a van ministry. I coordinate four vans going to various parts of our community each Sunday morning.

This ministry is more than just about driving a van and picking people up. Our van drivers get to know the people on their route. We pray with them as they share their needs. When we arrive at church, we bring them into the cafeteria and provide a light breakfast before the service.

I know it’s making a huge impact as I see the growth in the lives of their children. I see the gratitude in the eyes of the elderly no longer able to drive. Often, many of these people are new and don’t know anyone. We invite them to sit with us and introduce them to our friends. We pray with them and just show as much of Christ’s love as we can.

We even create take-home bags for those we know could use the extra food, giving it to them as they leave the van when we drop them off. Everyone should be able to get to church if they want. I’m happy to provide a way to do that.