Sleep Over

One of the ministries Church of the Palms participates in is Family Promise. There are many churches in the area that also support this mission. While I am not that familiar with Family Promise I have been exposed to the nature of this type of ministry. In Greenville, S.C. area churches participate in Interfaith Hospitality. Both these ministries work with families that, for various reasons such as loss of a job, are homeless. These families enter a program, such as that offered by Family Promise, where basic needs are provided by the ministry to give families a chance to get back on their feet. One way the ministry is structured is by pairing with local churches in close proximity to each other. Families sleep overnight at a host church, which is partnered with a support church. Each church is asked to provide housing and meals for the families one week out of every quarter. Our partner church, Grace Coastal PCA, serves as the host church while we fulfill the role of the support church. Families are housed at Grace Coastal while we, COTP, help provide meals and volunteers to spend the night with the families in need.


Church of the Palms is asked to participate in Family Promise ministry once a quarter. Our turn came a little over a week ago but did not go as expected. Grace Coastal has been undergoing renovations along with an expansion of the existing building. Since they are the host church in our partnership a problem arose as a result of limited space. We were asked to serve as the host church during this week due to the unforeseen circumstances at Grace Coastal. As the week was being coordinated through the diligent efforts of Karen Stevenson I was asked to be one of the overnight chaperones. I had a hard time saying no to the request. While I have knowledge of ministries such as Family Promise, I as an individual have never been an active participant in the ministry. This presented me with the opportunity to experience what the ministry is all about. The night arrived for my “sleep over” which had been greatly anticipated up until I saw my bed. Before me was a cot which pretended to be a bed. The “bed” was unfolded so it could be prepared for use. Unfortunately bedtime approached which meant I could no longer avoid the inevitable. After my body was stretched out on top of the “bed” my thoughts turned to my own comfortable bed with a mattress that makes me feel as though I am floating atop the billowing clouds.

Yes, the “bed” was uncomfortable which I fervently expressed to God by way of lamentations. At this point the night couldn’t have been any worse than it was. I was wrong. Thin walls enabled me to hear another chaperone snore the night away. Morning did not come quickly enough. Upon waking, I went into the kitchen, surveyed the unfamiliar surroundings, and yearned for my personal stash of coffee. While I was feeling sorry for myself because I lacked the creature comforts of home I was greeted by something I had not anticipated. As I looked down, standing before me was a little girl with an angelic face. The precious smile beaming from her face suggested to me that she was happy that people cared enough to provide for her and her family. Her eyes reflected the genuine love she has encountered through the volunteers of the churches supporting Family Promise. My selfishness cast a shroud of guilt over me. Here I was feeling sorry for myself because of the inadequacy of the conditions while the families being cared for may have viewed the accommodations much in the same way a vacationer views a four start hotel.

The little girl standing before me was the face of Jesus the Christ. Quickly, I was reminded of a passage found in Matthew 25:31-45 (The parable of the Sheep and The Goats). Paraphrasing, the passage could read: “We were homeless and you gave us a place to stay. We were abandoned by society but you cared about us. We hit rock bottom but you lifted us up. Lord, Lord, when did we do this. Truly I tell you, when you have done that for them you have done that for me”. Jesus asked Peter in John 21 three times, “Do you love me?” Peter answered yes each time. Jesus responded to each answer, “Feed my lambs. Shepherd my sheep. Feed my sheep”. We, as members of the Church of the Palms, belong to the body of Christ. It is our arms and legs, which we have been called to use so we can make Christ known through our actions. Through an authentic compassion grounded in our faith we can make known the unconditional love of God. I feel that the church today, is at times, more concerned about its own needs (Just as I did) rather than serving the one who is professed as the Redeemer who was sent because God so loved the world. We as followers of Jesus Christ are called to nurture and care for others who are unable to provide for themselves. If we do not care, how will others know Christ lives today? Wherever you passions lay I encourage you to use them as a way to make Christ known in our community.