Loading...In response to the need called for at convention, the department of Mission and Evangelism in conjunction with the Department for Christian Education has agreed to lift up examples of ministry in our diocese by writing articles for the diocesan newsletter. In these articles, we will highlight some of the ways that we are forming disciples in our diocese.
I’d like to tell you about a new ministry we’ve begun here at St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church in Louisville. We’ve started a toy library.
The Toy Library is a newly emerging Ministry of the Children of St. Matthew's. Set to open in mid-January, the Toy Library’s inventory of more than 300 gently used toys is available for the St. Matthew's Community and Community Partners to borrow for a month at a time. Toys have been generously donated. Children, with some parental help, have cleaned the toys, organized the rooms, set the policies and procedures and work the check-out and check-in desks.
What makes this such an exciting and transformative ministry is that the Toy Library is run by a group of children. They have an adult who helps them meet and organize, but the decisions are all their own. They have decided what kinds of toys they will accept as donations. They have decided when they will be open and how they will reach communities in need. The Toy Library is already open to the parish, and it soon will be opened to the 200-400 neighbors who come for our monthly food pantry.
It has been inspiring, as a Christian leader, to see the children so dedicated to reaching other kids in need. In fact, it is this idea that has gotten them so excited to think through all of the details and to get this ministry running. The Toy Library is meeting a real need that we have identified in our community, and it is being led by a group of Christians who are energized by finding a way to meet this need.
I watched as children not only got excited about our Toy Library when they were asked to run it, but they became energized by the work when they thought about how to reach kids who didn’t have what they have.
Evangelism is not an uphill road — it’s about finding a need that fits with your community and that they get excited about meeting.
