During March our 200th anniversary celebration focuses on Outreach. Member Tamara Slaughter shares stories of service to our community and the world.
In discussing Outreach, it’s fitting to learn how people who do the work are impacted. Here are reflections from FPC members who extend the hand of Christ through service.
“It changed my life!” exclaims FPC member Bette Dunker, describing her many mission trips. She participated in trips to Johns Island, SC, to work with Hebron Zion Presbyterian Church. She helped lead children’s Bible school. Joining in the Sunday service, she was “struck by how we worshipped differently” yet the feelings of prayerfulness and devotion were the same.
Bette also served on trips to Chinle in Arizona. She describes being on the Navajo Reservation like being in a third world country. “Seeing such poverty certainly broadened my outlook; it was something I’d never thought about before,” she notes, adding, “I learned so much from them about their lives.” There was great camaraderie among the people working together. “The agape love we developed working and learning side by side was inspiring”, she observes.
In the early 2000s, FPC member Ty Buckner was introduced to Kairos, a national prison ministry with NC outposts. He joined with men from various faith traditions in preparing for, conducting, and following up on weekend retreats in Central Prison, ministering to members of the general population. “I’ll never forget,” says Ty, “the head chaplain at the prison bluntly stating, ‘Unless you approach this with the utmost humility, I don’t need you inside.’ He was right.” Most memorable for him was the echo of voices against cinder block prison walls as together they sang “Surely the Presence of the Lord is in this Place”. Ty carried that spirit into his work with the Greensboro Prison Ministry Board at FPC. He shares that the camaraderie with the other men and the opportunity to learn with and from the residents drew him in, inspiring him to delve deeper into Bible study and to volunteer locally.
“My Girl Scout troop was volunteering at Hot Dish & Hope,” explains Victoria Alexander, who grew up at FPC, “and I served someone from my math class!” It stuck with her, the impact of physically serving her neighbor a meal, demonstrating that she cared for them and, in turn, showing them the love of God.
Later, in high school, Victoria became a co-coordinator for Hot Dish, which nurtured her leadership and communication skills. Working with such dedicated volunteers with a passion for feeding and loving our neighbors guided her personal call to continue mission work later as a Young Adult Volunteer with PCUSA, first in Scotland and then in New York. This is how she describes the most meaningful part of Hot Dish & Hope: “My favorite and most meaningful part of each Hot Dish event was after the opening hustle and bustle when we sat down with our guests, our neighbors, and simply listened. We heard about their lives, their loved ones, even their opinions on the food! The shared joys, concerns, and prayer requests. Some sat in companionable silence. Those times were when I felt God most present and have left the greatest impact on me.”
