A small church….A BIG VISION… Reaching the masses with the minors… Doing the Impossible because EVERYTHING is Possible!
Ahhhhh….The heart of God! It begins with one’s passion for God and others and it, indeed, ends with one’s passion for God and others. The heart of God is proven in word and action at Southside Church of God.
Pastor Joyce Miles of Southside Church of God in the mill-hill village of China Grove, North Carolina had a dream. It all started when she stated from the pulpit that on 9/11, there were 12 people that made an everlasting impact of negativity on our world with the blow of the fall and abolishment of the Twin Towers in New York City. She stated that it would be amazing to just see what God could do with just 12 people that would commit to changing the world for Christ. That was the moment that changed things for Southside Church of God. Sitting on the organ stool and being spontaneous, I spoke up in the small church and said, “Well, why can’t we change the world?” Immediately, Pastor Miles turned to me and said, “I appoint you as our Outreach Leader!” Pastor Joyce Miles knew that a challenge was all that I needed to get the job done! Instantly and without a second thought, I accepted the pastor’s commission to help change the world with the tiny congregation of 35 that has only about 10 or fewer people with jobs. Vision and action came together in a moment’s time!
Over the next week or two, I asked Pastor Miles and the congregation to make an outreach “Wish List”. So they did. While reviewing the huge amount of items on the list and compiling them into a plan of action, I noticed that Pastor Miles had placed a wish for a Parish Nurse, which is also an outreach ministry. On that Saturday night, I called Pastor Joyce and said, “Pastor, I know that you assigned me to do the Outreach Ministry but don’t you remember that I am a Registered Nurse? I can be your Parish Nurse too!” The minds meshed; the thoughts were flowing; the visions were uncontained; the spiritual lights were turned on; the Holy Spirit flames were burning… Outreach ministry was being taken to a new level in Southside Church of God!
Within another few months, Pastor Joyce applied for a couple of favorable grants. With this additional funding, it gave the money needed for the outreach ministry projects that were ahead such as our food pantry, Back Pack Program, Meals that Heal, and more. It also placed me in a positive strategic position in the dual role of Outreach Minister and Parish Nurse. The door opened to become a part-time paid Parish Nurse through Carolinas Health Care System.
Within another few months, as the seed for ministry began to flourish, volunteers began to catch the same fire. As 31 volunteers, out of a church with 35 in attendance, were motivated and embraced, different ministries were rapidly birthed. It was clear that through vision and hard and fast work, things were going to happen!
From a dream to reality, ministry comes! Since the world-changing concept relating to 9/11 to the inception of the Southside Community Outreach, an enormous ministry has taken place for such a small church. From an intense card ministry that ministers to every Church of God missionary around the world, to a Christmas card ministry that ministers to over 1000 orphans around the world, to a thriving food pantry and clothing closet, to a smoke alarm installation program, to toy drives, to a Meals that Heal food delivery weekend program to shut-ins, to exercise programs and Tai Chi for balance training in Seniors, to Day Care Assessments for children in the community, to blood pressure clinics and weekly health teaching in the church and monthly teachings to senior community centers and the local Main Street Mission Food Bank, to Health Clips & Q-Tips Handouts, to a weekly fellowship meal, to a Well-Watcher’s program, to a STOP Blowing Smoke program for those that want to quit habits, to a Back Pack take-home weekend food program for school children, to a ministry for Veterans, to an Adult Basic Education and GED program, to Parenting Classes and classes for Hispanic Mothers and a Kick-off of a Batterer’s Intervention Program for abusers, to Mental Health First Aid, to a Sunday School Outreach called “Southside Bible School”, in which by the second Sunday, the attendance in Sunday School had doubled, to actual Parish Nursing which is a job in itself… meaning medication reviews, home visits, nursing home and hospital visits, nursing notes, health education, counseling, screenings and referrals, coordinating of volunteers, policy writing, guided imagery and healing touch to prayer and nursing presence, to assisting in getting hearing aids, teeth pulled, medication assistance.
This is ministry for a small church; for any church! So, impossible? Yes, but not with God, a little bit of faith, a vision, ambition, drive, enthusiasm, and a passion to just get the job done for Christ and the Kingdom of God! We do not know what “stop” means. It is not even in the vocabulary at Southside and this is what Southside Church of God and Southside Community Outreach are all about!
So you see… The heart of God… ahhhhh! Here, it began with a pastor’s passion for God and others and it moved forward with a nurse’s passion for God and others. Together, the heart of God has been proven in word and in action at Southside Church of God, over and over again! We are doing the impossible because everything is possible!
We love you that are reading this article this day! All of you smile because you know that we do! Hey, ministry just happened again. Did you hear it; did you see it; did you read it; did you feel it? We are “lending our hand and touching your heart”?
Today, I am honored to be the pastor of Southside Church of God. And we’re still kingdom-building through ministry to each and every one!
Gloria J. Ross
Lead Pastor, Southside Church of God
Food Pantry
Clothing Closet
Soup Kitchen
Meals that Heal
Circle of Care
Men of Action
Card Ministry
Parish Nurse
Backpack Program
Christmas Toy Drive
World Missions Outreach