Loving Your Community by Stephen Viars: If a local public school asked to hold its PTA meeting in your church’s sanctuary, what would you say? Viars, a pastor and Biblical counselor, challenges pastors to “say yes unless you have to say no.” For years, his church in Lafayette, Ind., has worked to build relationships with its community. He chronicles that journey, explaining how the church started the outreach ministries it has and why they are worth the time and resources.

In normal times, Tri-City Medical Center hosts a busy emergency department in San Diego County, seeing 60,000 emergency patients annually. But recently, fewer people have been visiting the ER—even though the hospital had only seven COVID-19 patients as of May 4. Tri-City’s ER volume has dropped more than 40 percent from pre-pandemic levels.

14th in a series on long marriages

It was the summer of 1974 when 16-year-old Darrell Jordan visited the park with his cousin and noticed a teenage girl hanging upside down on the monkey bars. “She looked so cute,” Darrell recalls. “That was my wife.” Catheleen was only 13, but Darrell felt shy around her. Eventually, they talked, dated, then married in 1977, when Darrell was a college sophomore and Catheleen a high-school senior. 

Danielle York, a 34-year-old from Denver, is a recovering alcoholic. She remembers drinking “from the time I woke up until I went to bed.” But the alcohol made her sick, so York tried to change: She completed several rehab programs but always slipped into old habits when she returned to her former environment and friends. Eventually the state took her two children. 

At the Union Rescue Mission in Los Angeles, the demand for free meals has increased by 40 to 50 percent since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic. “We had to get creative,” said mission CEO Andy Bales.

He began asking local restaurants for help. One agreed to provide pizzas three to four times a week. Other contributions came from sub and hamburger chains, a bakery, and a barbecue restaurant. “We are adapting to this new world we live in,” Bales said.

One Sunday morning in late March, 25 homeless people lined up outside Recovery House of Worship in Brooklyn, New York City. The week before, Pastor Edwin Colon told a group of homeless people: “Hey, guys, don’t come back. We love you, we want to serve you, but it’s not safe.”

He knew it didn’t matter: “We have a 20-year reputation of providing help, so they’re going to come.” When they do, Colon shares a brief gospel message with them, and the group sings a hymn. Then each homeless person gets a chicken sandwich that Chick-fil-A donated.

Here’s the 30th and final chapter of What Do Socially Isolated People Do All Day? We hope this series has encouraged you. Thanks to all the readers who sent us their stories.