A Church for All Peoples
Last month a faithful delegation from Brookwood Presbyterian Church in Columbus, OH, made the trip to Louisville to visit the Presbyterian Center and hand-deliver a gift to the Presbyterian Giving Catalog– a donation of a garden well!
Fifty years ago, Brookwood Presbyterian – “A Church for All Peoples Sharing God’s Love” – touted nearly 2,000 members on its rolls; however, today’s membership is closer to 150. While the congregation might not be as big as it once was, their passion for and commitment to mission remains just as strong.
The Gift of Water
Once the Mission Outreach Committee decided to take on the challenge of donating a garden well, citing that water is a basic need, elder Dan Jax constructed a wishing well that sat at the entrance of the sanctuary. This served as a reminder of the project and allowed members to drop in their change as they entered and exited worship.
One member remarked that she thought this small congregation would never reach its goal of $1,500, but they had faith. And after about nine months, they did!
Visit to Louisville
The Special Offerings team and Mission Engagement Advisor Chris Roseland welcomed the delegation of five, including Pastor and Music Director Rev. John Birkner, to Louisville, KY. We enjoyed a lunch together before the group took a tour of the Presbyterian Center, followed by a discussion about Brookwood’s commitment to mission, including their operation of a food pantry and a charter school for children with special needs that currently serves over 100 students.
Their trip concluded with coffee, photos, and an impromptu visit by Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA) Coordinator Laurie Krauss as she recalled how the garden well ended up as an item in the Presbyterian Giving Catalog following a PDA drought-relief project in Kenya. The group left eager to report back to their Mission Outreach Committee and determine their next gift to the Giving Catalog.
Get Involved
For ideas on how to your congregation can utilize the Giving Catalog, check out our Get Involved page or reach out to us via presbyteriangifts@pcusa.org. And let the dedication and creativity of Brookwood Presbyterian Church in Columbus, OH, serve as an inspiration!