Dear Friends,
I need to take a couple of minutes today and tell you about some of the amazing things God is doing through this community. On Easter Sunday, we announced Do Good Dinners. In partnership with our neighbors, Pronto Restaurant, we are offering prepaid meals to the hungry and homeless of our community. This is a model of church and business coming together to impact our community for good! On Easter Sunday, we sold 430 $10 dinners— that’s right, $4,300 to provide a meal for folks in our community. When I stood at our lunch program with Becky Maas, the owner of Pronto, on Monday and announced that folks could go to Pronto for dinner, there was a round of applause. God is making a difference in you.
In that same spirit, our members Al and Hannah Beecham approached the general manager of Red Run Country Club, the club to which they belong, with an invitation to partner with our feeding ministry. Without giving it a second thought, the general manager and head chef agreed, offering to bring any leftover food from their catering or banquets. On the Monday after Easter, they came to visit us, bringing with them food we could serve throughout our week. The message of love and compassion is transcending the walls of this place and inviting others to join our movement.
And finally, we don’t want to miss sharing the good news that this week our Fellowship Hall was transformed into Southeast Michigan’s largest free prom dress center. Emily Baker, one of our members, has made Hope Closet a vital part of our ministry for well over a decade. By week’s end, hundreds of young women, many from low-income families, come to receive the gift of a gorgeous dress so that they are not left out or left behind on this special night. This prom dress is a symbol of inclusion and dignity that we simply believe should be afforded to everyone no matter their economic status.
We believe God has called Royal Oak First to be the place that makes Christ’s Love Real to the community. You can see all the ways God is using us to do just that.
Thank you for being a part of this movement.
Grace and Peace,
