Church ministries usually bring to mind soup kitchens and homeless shelters.
But I recently experienced an unusual twist on the idea of serving others when my niece, sister and I took my great nephew Eli to a neighborhood playground.
Talk about a toddler’s version of heaven! The little fellow was surrounded by clusters of colorful push toys, including a miniature police car and a large blue, plastic dog. While my niece captured each moment in photos, the boy dashed from swing to sliding pond and back.
The playground is situated on a generous swath of land that belongs to the First Christian Church of Decatur. I would venture a guess that this prime piece of real estate, on the edge of the posh downtown area, would net a tidy sum if sold to developers.
But it seems this congregation decided to use the land for something far more valuable, which is giving children a place to run and jump and make new friends. About 12 years ago, the church joined forces with neighborhood folks to raise money to create the playground and park.
Eli and his mom and dad spent a week touring Atlanta, going to various museums and attractions. And, of course, they shelled out plenty of money for admission, parking and don’t forget trinkets to take home.
But this vast playground decorated with towering oaks comes with no strings attached. It is absolutely free.
We were there for nearly two hours and by the time we left little Eli was completely worn out but still beaming a big smile.
The families that gather there, eating lunch at picnic tables while children play hide-and-seek nearby, needn’t be members of the church. They don’t have to be Christians or even believe in God, for that matter.
After all, Christ loved people unconditionally. It didn't matter what someone’s race was or how much money he had or what he’d done in the past.
And on this sunny, crisp day as I watched the children giggling with glee, I realized this playground wasn’t just built with concrete and fences and swing sets. It was built with the kind of love Christ modeled when he told the disciples, “Love one another as I have loved you.”
And if you spend an afternoon there watching the children scurrying around, you'll get a glorious glimpse of what lies at the heart of truly ministering to others. Whether it’s a soup kitchen, a shelter or a playground, love is given freely and in great abundance.
It’s the same love God bestows on each of us.
Lorraine’ V. Murray's latest book is “Death of a Liturgist,” a wild and wacky mystery set at a fictional church in Decatur. Her other recent book is “The Abbess of Andalusia: Flannery O’Connor’s Spiritual Journey.” Her e-mail address is lorrainevmurray@yahoo.com.
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