Faith Café organizer Jennifer Seeley prepares the Unity Presbyterian Fellowship Hall for “A Night in Paris.” (Sarah Grano/DW photo)

DENVER – Unity Presbyterian Church’s Faith Café gives women a chance to eat well, make friends and study the Bible.

“I came up with the idea because I think it’s really important for women to come together and be supportive of each other,” said Jennifer Seeley, organizer of the women-only events.

Seeley started Faith Café as a chocolate-centered brunch and Bible study. It has evolved into a Friday-night dinner and Bible study with a new theme for each event. The most recent Faith Café – “A Night in Paris” – took place May 11. The next event will take place in fall or winter.

“I kind of set myself up,” Seeley said. “It has to get better every time.”

On Friday, Seeley and her volunteers filled the church fellowship hall with lights, candles, street lamps and French food including bread, cheese and cream-filled peaches.

“It’s beautiful,” church member Lois Watson said. “They’ve done a tremendous job.”

Seeley organizes each Faith Café, but she has more than a dozen volunteers helping her.

“If you helped before, I won’t let you help me again,” Seeley said. “I want them to come and enjoy it. When you work it, it’s stressful.”

Although it’s stressful, Seeley said it’s one of her favorite things to do. She loves to see the women of her church talking, eating and having fun.

“Part of the purpose is to create a retreat for women. They’re taking care of the house, they’re taking care of the kids, the grandkids,” Seeley said. “This is a time to take care of yourself and enjoy who you are and enjoy each other. I think it’s important to the life of the church.”

Every Faith Café provides free childcare so participants don’t have to worry about finding babysitters.

“Whether you work or not, you work all the time if you have children,” volunteer Polly Stokes said. “This is a way the moms can come and enjoy. They get to have conversations without anyone screaming, talking and needing you.”

Participants begin the event with food and fellowship. From there, Seeley speaks about a Bible topic and individual tables tackle discussion questions in a small-group setting.

“It’s a nice, relaxed way to look at different sections of the Bible,” volunteer Jennifer Wahab said.

Seeley said lively discussions make the event work, and women should feel free to speak their minds.

“There is nothing controversial that happens in one of my studies,” she said. “It’s what you think. It’s what you believe, and it’s rooted in faith.”

The event is organized so friends do not sit at the same tables, promoting interaction between strangers.

“The one thing we have in common is we believe,” Seeley said.

And exploring that belief while eating good food and making new friends is the goal of Faith Café.

“If you’re a Christian woman, the Bible is at the center of your life. God should be at the center of your life,” Seeley said. “The Bible is the manual of everything you need to know about God. There’s this book that tells you every way to live a happy life because that’s what He wants for you.”

Musicians, from left, Mike Early, Pete Robinson and David Blizzard perform during the Day of Prayer service May 3 at Denver United Methodist Church. (Sarah Grano/DW photo)

DENVER – Denver United Methodist Church kept the doors to its sanctuary open for the entire day May 3 for the National Day of Prayer.

“We want to give people an opportunity to come in and have a little bit of quiet time to pray on whatever is on their heart,” Tim Killian, associate pastor, said.

The sanctuary doors opened at 6 a.m. A worship service was held at 7 p.m. It included a video of Ronald Reagan discussing the National Day of Prayer, live music, reading from scripture and, of course, prayer.

“Prayer’s a conversation between the individual and God, and that can be done anytime, anywhere,” Killian said. “That’s the foundation.”

The National Day of Prayer was enacted by U.S. Congress in 1952 as an annual day of observance for the first Thursday in May.

Denver United Methodist Church’s Prayer Team organized its event.

“We pray for the community, we pray about our church members and our church,” prayer team member Susan Nickel said. “We are told when two or more gather together, God hears our prayers.”

The team meets 9 a.m. Thursdays at the church and is open to anyone.

Nickel said part of the reason the group wanted to open up the sanctuary for the National Day of Prayer was because so many people in the community are in need.

“The economy the way it is, it’s affected so many people in the Denver area,” Nickel said. “We want to pray about that.”

Many of those attending the evening worship service said they pray not just for the community, but for the nation.

“I just think it’s a very important day,” Denise Wright, a church member, said. “Everybody should pray for our nation right now.”

Nickel agreed.

“We feel like 2012 is a year where the politics are changing so drastically, there are so many things people should concern themselves with,” Nickel said.

Killian also believes the National Day of Prayer has political implications.

“It’s to draw our attention back to how our country was founded,” he said. “Our forefathers came to the country seeking religious freedom. I think the National Day of Prayer is to bring our focus back to that.”

While attendees talked about the importance of prayer across the nation, they also believed prayer was an important on a more personal level.

“Prayer is a central part of our life,” said Kelly Rabalais, a church member who attended the service with her husband and two children. “With faith, anything is possible.”

Denver United Methodist Church is located at 3910 N.C. 16 in Denver. For more information, call 704-483-1601.

Volunteers, from left, Jo Lynn Hamlin, Dawn Philbeck, Jill Loftin and Barbara Quickel sort clothes at East Lincoln Christian Ministries during Denver Baptist Church’s Operation Inasmuch. (Sarah Grano/DW photo)

DENVER – For local organizations that are always looking for help, it’s nice to get an extra 200 pairs of hands, even if it’s only once a year.

About 230 members of Denver Baptist Church volunteered to work on more 20 different community service projects Saturday, April 28, for Operation Inasmuch.

“We go out and do missions,” coordinator Annette Jones said. “It’s just a one-day blitz.”

Volunteers met at the church before going out to their various projects. Steve Waters, associate pastor, spoke to the crowd.

“We’re going to read from scripture. Then we’re going to pray. Then we’re going to go, go, go!” he said.

Volunteers fixed roofs, made ramps, gave out free coffee and juice, sorted items for East Lincoln Christian Ministry, handed out bracelets and pamphlets, went on prayer walks and did odd jobs for the elderly and disabled.

“It’s a hard day, but it’s a fun day,” said Dane Helton, a church member who built a ramp. “You exercise, you’re outside, and you’re around people who love Jesus.”

Operation Inasmuch originated in North Carolina Baptist churches, but now 15 states participate. It’s a day of service work and evangelizing.

“It’s to show Jesus to people,” coordinator Todd Jones said. “That is the main thing – to show that we’re here and we love the community and Jesus loves the community. We’re here to help.”

That help took many forms, from manual labor to giving out sweets. Diane Smith, a church member, said people on the receiving end of the volunteer work are often surprised.

“They can’t believe that we’re just coming to serve them,” Smith said.

Smith was part of a group that walked around neighborhoods praying for the people who lived there.

“It’s not us doing it,” she said. “It’s God through us.”

Many church members went to East Lincoln Christian Ministry to help with a variety of work including organizing items donated to its thrift shop, sorting food items and helping build a new food warehouse. The ministry depends on volunteers all year long.

“I couldn’t do it without them,” said Larry Moore, coordinator of the ministry’s food room. “They come from different churches, and some aren’t churched, but they’re good people.”

While Operation Inasmuch is only a one-day event, it makes an impact.

“We have a lot of extra help, and some of the stuff we get behind on, we get caught up,” Moore said.

Denver Baptist Church associate pastor David Sexton said he hopes the day inspires participants to serve more often.

“If they serve locally, God might open their eyes up to serve nationally and even internationally,” Sexton said.

He has at least one church member who’s thinking big – Erin Owen, an eighth-grade student from Lincolnton.

“I like helping,” she said. “I want to go into mission work when I grow up, and this is a good foundation. I love Jesus, and I want other people to, too.”

Mike Teeter, pastor of New Destiny Community Church, uses video, blogs and Facebook.com to reach out to his congregation and beyond. (Sarah Grano/DW photo)

DENVER – New Destiny Community Church found a permanent home in January. Now, its pastor is focused on sending the message of God’s love through all mediums possible including sermons, Facebook, Twitter and podcasts.

“It’s about loving God and loving people, and people knowing when they come to our doors and spend time with us that we’re going to love them as a person, and we care about them,” said pastor and church founder Mike Teeter. “It’s about a community.”

The church was founded in early 2009 by Teeter and his wife, Melissa. Initially, the Teeters used a trailer to move church supplies such as sound equipment to temporary locations. They’ve had services at East Lincoln High School, their home and Westport Country Club.

“We really appreciate the club at Westport,” Teeter said. “It really helped us amp up and get connected more to the Denver area.”

Getting connected to the Denver area is what Teeter wanted to do.

“I just felt a desire, God’s call, to plant a church, and I was looking in this area,” he said.

The church found its home this winter at 626 N.C. 16 S. It has about 30 members and meets at 6 p.m. Sunday. It also holds prayer meetings on Tuesdays at 7 p.m. or 7:30 p.m.

“Church is about people,” Teeter said. “You don’t have to have a building, but it sure is nice to have a home, and we’re thankful.”

Services at the church include video clips and dramas. Teeter also regularly sends out tweets, posts on the church’s Facebook page and updates his blog with video podcasts.

During his years as a youth pastor and associate pastor, his church had a bulletin every Sunday and a newsletter, but things have changed.

“That’s all good then, but now it’s easier to do a two-minute video or twitter post or email,” Teeter said. “A high majority of people, they don’t want a piece of paper anymore.”

He believes people can be reached through technology.

“It’s an avenue to people who are looking for a church, but also those who, even if they never come, they’ll be ministered to from the podcast from the website.”

New Destiny Community Church also reaches out to people in other ways. Its members have made twisty balloons at Denver Days and handed out water during Denver’s fireworks display.

“We want to be part of the community,” Teeter said. “We’re not out there preaching. We’re just out there being part of things in the community.”

He said New Destiny Community Church wants to make connections with other Denver churches even if there are differences in Christian denominations.

“We still can agree on the foundation of things that are true to the Christian faith, and we can both grow, and we can both be connected to God and we can be connected to each other,” Teeter said.

Want to know more?

For more information, visit newdestiny
denver.org, email info@newdestiny.org or call 704-947-3829. The church is located at 626 N.C. 16 S., a mile south of the intersection of  N.C. 16 and N.C. 73.

Salem fitness class promotes faith and fellowship. (Sarah Grano/DW photo)

DENVER – Every Tuesday and Thursday night a group of women meet at Salem United Methodist Church in Denver for Faith, Fitness and Fellowship.

The fitness class includes step aerobics, floor work, weights and prayer.

“We always start out with our prayer time, and we have prayer requests,” said Kelly Merck, who often leads the class.

Rachel Loth, an organizer, believes there’s a strong connection between faith and fitness.

“If you treat your body good, it treats you good, just like if you treat God good, he treats you good,” she said.

The class has been taking place for 12 years. The group meets at 6:30 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays at the church on Pilot Knob Road. The cost for 20 classes is $35.

“I come for my health and for the fellowship,” said Krista Stegalo, of Stanley, who has been attending for three years. “It’s my outlet after a stressful day at work.”

The class was started by a member of Salem United Methodist Church, but it is now attended almost entirely by people who do not belong to the church.

“It was just an outreach,” Merck said of the church starting the class. “None of us go to the church here, and the church has continued to offer it.”

As the weather warms, the class dwindles in size. Some years, the class stops for the summer and picks up in the fall, but organizers haven’t made a decision about this year yet.

Those who attend regularly say the exercise has had a positive impact on their lives.

“I come for my health. I’m 70, and I need to look after myself so I won’t be a burden on my children,” said Sylvia McCauley, of Lowesville, who has been attending the classes for three years. “I enjoy it here because you can do it at your own pace. If I can’t do what everyone else is doing, it’s OK.”

Olivia Homesley, of Denver, also attends the class for her children, although hers are much younger than McCauley’s.

“It helps me keep up with my kids,” Homesley said.

She says the class’ variety keeps her interested.

“It’s never the same,” she said.

The class also offers a chance for people to connect. While some attend as an outlet to their stressful, busy lives, others look at it as a chance to get out of the house.

“I like that it’s an outing because I’m retired,” McCauley said.

Loth agrees. She says fellowship is one of the goals of the program – hence the name Faith, Fitness and Fellowship.

“This was to get people together,” Loth said. “This gets you out, gets you to meet people.”

Want to go?

Salem United Methodist Church is located at 378 N. Pilot Knob Road in Denver.

Gathering at St. Peter by-the-Lake Episcopal, from left, Emma Harris, Joel Hoffman, teacher Zachary Wisham, Aniyah Popovich and Nathan Goodman meet for Seeds of Promise, a local home school. (Sarah Grano/DW Photo)

DENVER – Members of Seeds of Promise, a Denver-based home-schooling group, say they regularly deal with misconceptions about home schooling.

“I think people have this mentality where they think ‘This is Laura Ingalls, and we’re going to bake bread all day,’” said Laurie Popovich, president of Seeds of Promise.

Nathan Goodman, a 15-year-old home-schooler, said he thinks people assume he’s antisocial.

“Most of the time, people don’t understand you do have classes outside your house,” he said.

Home-schooled students involved with Seeds of Promise certainly have educational opportunities that take place outside of their living rooms. The group provides plenty of opportunities for students and families to socialize and learn together.

“I like being able to hang out with teens my age, and it’s cool to meet other families,” said Aniyah Popovich, 17, Laurie Popovich’s daughter.

She also likes being a home-schooled student.

“I like the freedom that comes with it,” Aniyah said. “I can choose the curriculum I want that fits my style.”

Seeds of Promise began two years ago as a way to connect home-schooling families. The group has meetings, events and an average of four field trips a month. They even have a weekly Spanish class, which meets at St. Peter by-the-Lake Episcopal Church.

Families are not required to participate in a set amount of activities and can drop in at any point during the year.

“It gives them the flexibility to pick and choose what they want,” Popovich said.

Popovich first began home schooling in Florida, and she joined an organization that had 1,700 families involved.

Seeds of Promise is much smaller, but it provides a similar service. The group is made up of 47 families, with approximately 140 home-schooled student.

The group is nondenominational Christian and its founders cite their faith as part of their inspiration for home schooling.

“I just want a Christian worldview for my children,” said Tracie Marsh, vice president of Seeds of Promise.

A former teacher, she also wants to make sure her three children are receiving the education they need.

“As a parent, we know our children better than anyone else,” Marsh said.

Popovich and Marsh founded Seeds of Promise to have faith at the center of education.

And while they strive to lead Christian lives and be good parents and educators, they don’t claim to be perfect. Sometimes their children talk back or swear. Sometimes a lesson goes poorly.

But the founders of Seeds of Promise are pleased to be part of a supportive group with members who share their mission.

“That’s the blessing of coming together,” Popovich said.

“You’re weakness is someone else’s strength,” Marsh added.

Want to know more?

Visit the Seeds of Promise website  www.homeschool-life.com.

Six-year-old Camryn Tuttle hops up for a photo with the Easter Bunny, Tim Beal. Beal has served as the Easter Bunny for Hill’s Chapel United Methodist Church for 14 years. (Sarah Grano/DW photo)

Hill’s Chapel United Methodist Church hosts Kidz Klub every month, but at Saturday’s event a special floppy-eared guest hopped by for breakfast.

“I like him because he gets you Easter eggs and stuff,” 6-year-old Madison Currence said. “He’s really nice.”

The breakfast took place Saturday morning, March 31, at the church. Kidz Klub is regularly held 6 to 8 p.m. on Fridays, but the time was changed for the special occasion.

“Breakfast with Santa is the biggest, but breakfast with the Easter bunny is the second biggest,” said Janet Howard, the church’s children’s coordinator.

Kidz Klub has existed for more than 15 years, and for 14 of those, Tim Beal has gladly taken on the annual role of the Easter bunny.

“I just have a blast,” Beal said. “I enjoy the kids. I like the little-bitty ones to the ones who won’t sit on your lap who scream and holler and pitch a fit.”

Many of the children are aware the bunny they’re talking to might be an Easter Bunny representative rather the real Easter Bunny.

“There’s a lot of them who know who I am and they say ‘Mr. Tim, are you in there?’” Beal said.

Howard says Kidz Klub regular monthly events aren’t quite as exciting as when the Easter Bunny comes, but the children always have fun. Kidz Klub welcomes children from age 3 up to fifth grade. Parents can attend or they can choose drop their children off. The majority of families who participate in the program are not members of the church.

“It’s an outreach to the community,” Howard said.

Kidz Klub meetings include food, games, crafts and occasional speakers or special visitors like the Easter bunny.

“I like all the fun games,” said Autum Hafley, 10, a fifth-grade student at Catawba Springs Elementary School. “When we first get here, we do coloring sheets and later we might play some fun games like Duck, Duck, Goose.”

Her father likes Kidz Klub too.

“It’s a good balance of fellowship and Christian activities,” Bruce Hafley said.

Brandy Currence brings her two children to Kidz Klub partly because their church doesn’t offer similar programs.

“Anything that has to do with God, we want our kids to be involved with … and it’s always fun,” Currence said.

While Kidz Klub takes place at a church and always includes a prayer, Howard emphasizes that its mission is not to “force our religion on them.” Instead, it’s simply a safe, fun environment for children.

“We do it for the love of the children because they’re our future,” Howard said.

Hill’s Chapel United Methodist Church has a long history of catering to the needs of children. It started the first daycare in the community in 1968, which stayed open until 1992, said Val Rosenquist, the pastor.

“The ministry was so strong with children so it continued on,” Rosenquist said.

Howard says any time she asks for something, the church members quickly provide it. This is also true of the backpacks of food the church provides for students in need at Catawba Springs Elementary School.

“People are so willing and want to help provide things for the kids,” Howard said.

According to Rosenquist, the reason for this is simple.

“They aren’t just our future,” she said. “They’re our present.”

For more information on Kidz Klub, visit www.hcumc.com or call 704-827-9511. Hill’s Chapel United Methodist Church is located at 988 N.C. 16 S. in Lowesville.

Interim Worship Pastor Marty Rhyne performs during the men’s rally at Denver Baptist Church Saturday, March 24. (Sarah Grano/DW photo)

DENVER – Denver Baptist Church members want to teach men to be more courageous fathers.

The church held a men’s rally Friday and Saturday, March 23 and 24, to promote faith, fatherhood and leadership.

“It’s not only about being leaders in the church, but being leaders in the community,” said Steve Waters, associate pastor of education and discipleship. “It starts in your family and then your church and then goes beyond that.”

The event kicked off Friday night, March 23, with a  barbecue dinner and a showing of the movie “Courageous,” which focuses on the importance of fatherhood.

“It hit the guys between the eyes,” Waters said of the movie. “We think we’re being okay dads, but being okay isn’t good enough.”

On Saturday, the rally’s more than 60 participants shared breakfast, worshipped through song and attended sessions with pastors.

“It’s a vision thing for our church,” youth pastor Josh Benfiled said. “Our pastor is teaching us to have a three-fold vision – men, marriages and mission.”

Attendants received Those attending were given handouts with statistics from the National Center for Fathering including “24.8 million children (33 percent) live apart from their biological fathers.” Waters believes the way society views fatherhood have changed.

“It’s not as valued as it used to be,” he said. “It’s getting worse and worse.”

He and other organizers of the rally plan to work to change that.

“You’re number one when it comes to taking responsibility for your child or children,” he said.

Benfield agreed.

“We teach our men to make a difference (in) our homes, to make a difference with our wives and kids,” he said.

The men were encouraged to spend time with their children, show affection, pray together and discipline with a gentle spirit.

During the rally, the roles of fathers in the Bible were examined, including the role of God as a father and the importance of father-led families.

“We’re focusing on the Bible, and we’re going to touch on other things,” Waters said.

Being a leader within the family was only the beginning of the rally’s message to men. They were encouraged to participate in Bible study and become leaders within church and beyond that, in the community and the world.

“We’re trying to lead men to the international field to spread the news of Jesus,” Benfield said.

The goal is to positively affect as many people as possible.

“We want to make a difference,” Benfield said. “I don’t want to just hang around. I want my life to count.”

Organizers hope the rally results in larger numbers of men participating in Bible study, missions and other events including Operation In As Much.

Operation In As Much, which takes place April 28, will have volunteers working to help organizations such as East Lincoln Christian Ministry and East Lincoln Pregnancy Care Center.

For more information, visit www.denverbaptist.org or call 704-483-3030.

Artist Amy Totzke stands with some of her artwork on display in the Vault Gallery at Arts on Main in downtown Gastonia. (Sarah Grano/DW photo)

Denver artist Amy Totzke has loved creating since she was a little girl.

“It just started with crayons, and it never stopped,” she said.

In fact, she still uses crayons in her art today, although she mixes the medium with acrylic paint.

“I just really like crayons,” said Totzke, who teaches art at Mooresville Middle School. “I love the way they smell. It brings me back to being a kid.”

But Totzke’s art holds a lot of weight. A former atheist, she’s now inspired by her Christian faith. Works such as “Matthew 13:23” and “Madonna and Child” are on display in the Vault Gallery at Arts on Main in downtown Gastonia.

Totzke was raised Catholic, but identified as an atheist for much of her youth. As a student at East Lincoln High School, she didn’t hide her beliefs, or lack thereof, which bothered some classmates.

“Some chick chased me around the cafeteria saying, ‘You don’t believe in God?’” Totzke said. “I was like ‘Leave me alone.’”

These negative experiences did nothing to change Totzke’s feelings on faith. What did change her was the death of fellow student Kate Gaddy.

Totzke didn’t know Gaddy personally, but she still felt drawn to create a portrait of her. There was a wall filled with letters students wrote about Gaddy, which Totzke read. She talked with Gaddy’s friends, and she learned about  Gaddy’s kindness and Christian faith.

“I found I wanted to actually listen,” Totzke said.

It took several months for Totzke to draw the portrait of Gaddy.

“By the time I was done, I was a Christian,” Totzke said.

She says she was “saved by artwork and a dream.” The dream was a vivid one involving a dancing demon and later Jesus telling her, “I’m right here. Just come to me.”

She woke up and thought to herself, “OK. I guess I believe.”

While the dream was powerful, it was just part of a series of events that led to her change in beliefs.

“It was more of a process,” Totzke said. “There were a lot of things that led to it. It was that period and being open-minded to it.”

Her spiritual beliefs have inspired her work ever since. She based her most recent work, “Matthew 13:23,” on the Bible verse it’s named for: “But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.”

Totzke paints herself lying on fertile soil. She said she fears she’ll be the seed scorched by the sun or choked by the thorns, but she wants to be the seed in fertile soil, forever faithful.

She does a few commissions a year in which she creates portraits of someone who has passed away. She finds the recipients feel both blessed and pained by the final product. The same was true for Gaddy’s parents when Totzke gave them the portrait.

“I know I’m grateful for her life,” Totzke said. “Even after she passed away, God was able to use her life to help me. Even though I’m just one person, it means everything to me.”

Want to know more?

For more information on Totzke, visit www.amytotzke.com, which is under construction, or amytotzke@live.com.

Dave Smith, a volunteer in the food pantry fills a cart of food for a regular client at East Lincoln Christian Ministry. The ministry is taking applications for its annual Easter meals, but also provides carts full of food for some families all year. (Sarah Grano/DW Photo)

DENVER – About 200 families will have a special Easter meal this year thanks to East Lincoln Christian Ministry and its supporters.

“Our goal as a ministry is just to support our brothers and sisters until the time they can be self sufficient and reach out and do for others,” said Laura Moore, the ministry’s vice president.

The deadline for families to apply to receive a meal is March 17, and the meals will be given out from 9 to 11:30 a.m. March 28, 29 and 31 at the ministry.

“They’re getting a meat, three vegetables, a fruit and then we’re doing bread and dessert,” Moore said. “It will be a complete meal.”

The majority of families who will receive the meal are already clients of East Lincoln Christian Ministry. The ministry will also give out Easter baskets to children 10 and younger and to home meal clients.

Moore says she’s confident about having supplies for the Easter meals and the children’s baskets, but she’s worried about the baskets for the home meal recipients, many of whom have dietary restrictions. The ministry delivers food to 75 homebound clients.

“Most of those are diabetic, so I am looking for sugar-free candy,” Moore said.

The ministry’s member churches have already stepped up to provide everything else.

“Right now, I think we’re really good,” she said. “I think our churches are going to come through.”

The community support the ministry receives is much appreciated and much needed, she said.

“The economy has been bad for a long time now, and the number of people who have come to us has just increased,” said Dave Smith, a volunteer with the ministry’s food pantry.

The food pantry is in charge of giving away holiday meals at Christmas and Easter, but it also provides food for the ministry’s clients all year. Families who meet the ministry’s requirements leave with an entire grocery cart of food.

“It’s rewarding to see a family wheel out a food cart,” Smith said.

Much of the food given to clients is donated by area businesses. Monetary donations and profits from the ministry’s second-hand shop also support the pantry.

“None of this happens without the grace of God and the generosity of our community,” Smith said.

Ministry volunteers hope the community continues to show support during its next project.

“Our next big thing that we are really going to be needing things for is the back-to-school book bags,” Moore said. “We need book bags and school supplies for all low-income children that register.”

Whether the ministry is supplying Easter baskets or school supplies, Moore says they respect their clients.

“We want to treat someone with dignity and honor just like we’d want to be treated ourselves,” she said.

For more information, call East Lincoln Christian Ministry at 704-483-4415 or email elcm2@att.net. The ministry is located at 4278 Catawba Burris Road, Denver.

Want to apply?

Families who want to apply to get an Easter meal should contact East Lincoln Christian Ministry at at 704-483-4415 or email elcm2@att.net. The ministry is located at 4278 Catawba Burris Road, Denver.

The deadline to apply to receive an Easter meal is March 17, and the meals will be given out from 9 to 11:30 a.m. March 28, 29 and 31 at the ministry.