When Worship and Outreach Combine, Good Things Happen!

Rev. Andrea Brownlee

Associate Regional Minister

What happens when you combine a congregation's desire to serve their community with Sunday morning worship? That is a question that I asked almost 7 years ago at First Christian Church, Perry. We were looking for “something different” but not so different that it felt unattainable. So, I asked the question: what if we picked a month and focused on one project that everyone, no matter their age, physical limitations, no matter what, everyone could have some part in making it happen. We thought we could spend the month collecting items, preparing for the project, and then on the last Sunday we would bring everything together and get it taken to where it needed to go. Someone asked, “how often will we do this?” Without much thinking I responded with “why not months with 5 Sundays? We could call 5^th Sunday Project.” And so it started, The 5^th Sunday Project. We’ve collected thousands of items for our local food pantry, made care kits for homeless shelters in Des Moines, and deep cleaned different areas of the church building. We have put together care baskets for families in our community who need help with clothing or cleaning products and our most recurring project is birthday cake kits for the food pantry.

5^th Sunday Project has had its ups and downs over the years with a break during 2020 and 2021 when we were trying to figure out how to be together but also stay healthy. In 2022 we restarted this ministry by returning to what we knew, supporting our local food pantry. But added an opportunity to invite others to join us so, we decided to have food! Our 5^th Sunday Projects now include what we call Breakfast Church. It is exactly what it sounds like, we gather in our fellowship hall for breakfast together. Our Call to Worship and opening hymn remind us of the work we have done all month collecting and preparing to help our community. The Communion invitation brings us to the table and blesses the food that all have brought to be shared, and Communion is shared around the tables families mixed together, talking and laughing! Then after the tables are cleared the SERMON is shared. It’s a beautiful that I never have to write because all I say is, “God has blessed us with the supplies we need, let us be about the work of the church”. Usually before I have all the words out the kids have started working organizing piles of cake mix or creating birthday banners to be added to the final step. Boxes are filled and bags are packed. Everyone has a part, folding, staking, carrying, delivering. Visitors jump in and join the work, some return for “regular church”, some we don’t see again until the next 5^th Sunday. What better way to do the work of God than finding a need, gathering the supplies, sharing a meal, and putting the supplies into action!

For more information about how we made our 5^th Sunday Project ministry a reality you can reach out to me or send a small group from your congregation to join us for our next breakfast church and project, November 30, 2025 or March 29, 2026.