Written by Heidi A Tabor
Fellowship Bible Church held its second annual Give Away Day Saturday, April 17, at the Carmichael Community Center, where church members spend the day giving free items — everything from clothes to kitchen accessories — to needy Searcy citizens.
When the doors opened at 9 a.m., there was already a line formed outside the Carmichael center. Many volunteers spent the previous day setting up and preparing for the event.
“Over 100 people came though,” said Fellowship Youth Minister Chris Massey.
Kris Lawrence, who planned the event with her husband, said that from those 100 people, 25 expressed an interest in learning about a relationship with Jesus, and 20 are interested in attending a Bible study at least once a month. Twenty-two wanted to learn more about Fellowship Bible Church. Like last year, there were 47 requests for Thanksgiving and Christmas baskets.
The inspiration for Give Away Day came from Lawrence’s experiences in her own Christian walk.
“When God calls me to step out on faith, His promises are true, she said. “He’s never left me high and dry. He’s never let my weakness prevail over His strength. He’s always comforted, always loved and always strengthened me.”
Before the visitors received their free items, they sat through 10-minute long “Life Sessions” where they learned how to get out of debt and received free counseling services.
Lawrence said a couple came in with their 5-year-old grandson and their 2-year-old granddaughter, whom they are raising for their daughter, who struggles with drug addiction. They were equipped with resources, both materially and emotionally, for the upbringing of their grandchildren, Lawrence said.
“That’s what it’s about,” Lawrence said, “The reason God pushes us, the reason He wants us to live on the fringe of our comfort zones is so that He can change us and give us life.”
Many took advantage of the free counseling, but there are no sermons involved in Give Away Day. They count on the people of the church and the outreach it makes to the community to do the talking, Massey said.
“People really didn’t understand why we were just giving this stuff away,” Massey said.
Harding students who attend church at Fellowship also got involved with Give Away Day.
“It was cool to get to sit down with some of the people who came in,” senior Karen Hill said. “They were amazed and grateful that everything was free. Many people were blessed by Give Away Day, and I am grateful to have been a part of it.”
Fellowship also gets its high school student ministry, called Trek, involved in the big day.
“I had a really fun time at Give Away Day because it felt good to know that you’re helping people in need in your own community, and to see their faces light up when they get free stuff. Plus the look on the little kids’ faces are priceless, “said Sarah Grimes, a freshman at Searcy High School.
Each year, church members spend all year collecting things for Give Away Day, but this year the donations were piled so high they had to rent an off-site storage facility to hold everything.
“There are still clothes left over, even after everyone came,” Massey said.
Still, Fellowship Bible Church knows the potential of Give Away Day. Because of its success last year, many people the members reached out to visited them at church the next day, Massey said.
“Our doors are open,” Massey said. “We want to show love without expecting anything in return. Give Away Day was our way of showing that to our community here in Searcy.”
For more information about Fellowship Bible Church, clickhere. For a video from Give Away Day, clickhere.
