Virginians to Unite for Statewide Inasmuch

May 15, 2012 By Leave a Comment

On May 3, 2012, Executive Director David Crocker met with members of the Network of Association Workers comprised of Directors of Missions and Association support staff from across the state of Virginia.

By the end of the meeting, the group decided to work together to conduct an Inasmuch United Virginia in the spring of 2014!

The group anticipates that 1400 churches from across the state will serve their communities with compassion on a single day. This event makes Virginia the third state to experience the blessing of a statewide Inasmuch event, following North Carolina (Southern Baptist) and South Carolina (Evangelical Lutheran Church of America).

Cliff Hudgins, Director of Missions of the Pittsylvania Association was a strong advocate of a statewide Inasmuch Untied at the May 3 meeting. He said…

A lot of churches wait too long and do too little to wake up their congregations, to find ways to reach out to the community and to grow spiritually. Operation Inasmuch provides a model that is far more effective than most efforts to help a church move forward.

In last year’s Inasmuch event, we were able to mobilize 70% of our churches in the Association. Each church in turn had a huge number of people involved: 58% of those who attend Sunday School – well beyond the 20% that typically volunteer! As a result, over 1500 volunteers from 36 churches served their communities last fall.

The biggest benefit of our Inasmuch United is that participants realized for the first time that they don’t have to go overseas or even across the state to do mission work. They can become missionaries in their own backyard and experience the joy serving those who have needs – while having their own lives touched as well.

We are excited about the opportunity to share the missionary thrill with churches and churchgoers across Virginia in 2014!

Operation Inasmuch’s presence in Virginia is not new. More than 115 churches individually and in groups have been conducting Inasmuch events for several years now.

Churches in Tappahanock, VA, have worked together for 5 years in a community-wide Essex Churches Together Inasmuch event. Northern Neck churches (near Warsaw, VA) have been serving together for 3 years. The Portsmouth and Pittsylvania Baptist Associations started Inasmuch events last year and hope to expand to neighboring Associations in 2013.

May, 2012 eNewsletter

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NC Unites to Build Record # of Ramps

May 14, 2012 By Leave a Comment

The following article was published May 2012 under Convention News in the North Carolina Baptist website.

The article discusses the statewide Inasmuch United (called NC Operation Inasmuch) – and the huge success of the Rampin’ Up initiative to build a record number of wheelchair ramps in one day!

Rampin Up!, Operation Inasmuch successful in community outreach

By: Melissa Lilley

Photo credit (all photos): Melissa Lilley, BSCNC Communications

After just a couple hours working, Vicky Coerper couldn’t believe the team’s progress. Before the day’s end the wheelchair ramp would be finished, giving her mom a new sense of freedom.

“I am very thankful. This will help keep my mom, and her caretaker, safe,” Coerper said. Coerper’s mom, who has dementia and cannot care for herself, came to live with her and her husband about three years ago in their North Raleigh home. Coerper said adding the wheelchair ramp to their home will help her mom be able to get outside on days when the weather is nice, instead of being stuck inside all the time.

Coerper’s mom has a wheelchair but it is difficult to navigate in and out of the house, and even inside the house.

Coerper’s family is just one of many across the state that benefited from “Rampin Up!” on April 28. “Rampin Up!” was an effort among North Carolina Baptists to build wheelchair ramps for aging adults, as ramps consistently rank among the highest needs of the aging-adult population.

In one day, nearly 3,000 volunteers from North Carolina Baptist churches built 327 wheelchair ramps.

North Carolina Baptist Aging Ministry (NCBAM) partnered with NC Baptist Men to coordinate the initiative as part of the larger statewide Operation Inasmuch. Operation Inasmuch is an event that encourages churches to choose one day and minister to those in need in their communities through hands-on, practical efforts.

After May 5, when more volunteers will participate in community outreach, the total number of participants for this year’s Operation Inasmuch will include more than 170 North Carolina Baptist churches, representing about 50 counties.

NCBAM Director Sandy Gregory called April 28 an “independence day” for aging adults in North Carolina.

“People of all ages can find themselves confined to a wheelchair. But as we age, the number of people unable to leave their homes because of a lack of mobility increases. They are trapped until someone builds a wheelchair ramp for them,” Gregory said in a statement released by NCBAM.

NCBAM reported that six people prayed to receive Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior through “Rampin Up!”

A ramp costs usually costs $700 and takes about eight hours to build. Some churches built more than one ramp on April 28, and Eastern Baptist Association in Sampson County built more than 20 ramps.

Members from Bay Leaf Baptist Church, known as the Bay Leaf Builders, built two ramps April 28, including Coerper’s. The group includes mostly retired adults.

“Just about every week we build a ramp. We are able to share our faith with the homeowners and pray with them,” said Reece Dillard.

Dillard said Bay Leaf Builders began in 2008 because people saw the need for such a ministry and wanted to serve others.

In addition to “Rampin Up!” North Carolina Baptist churches participated in a variety of outreach efforts through Operation Inasmuch. Members of First Baptist Church in Cary volunteered with Dorcas Ministries, an organization that began in 1968 and is dedicated to helping meet physical needs and to sharing the gospel.

Dorcas Ministries serves the community through a thrift store, food pantry, crisis ministry and adult education scholarships. In the past five years Dorcas Ministries has helped more than 42,000 people and provided more than $2.2 million in financial and food assistance.

“This is more of a calling than a job,” said Howard Manning, Dorcas Ministries executive director. “It’s a practical way to put God’s commands into action.”

When Manning retired from GlaxoSmithKline he did not plan to enter the workforce again, but serving at Dorcas has provided unique opportunities. “It’s a way to exercise your true beliefs everyday. It’s Matthew 25, ” he said.

First Baptist Cary member Andrew Major has volunteered at Dorcas and is also involved with Touching Lives for Christ, First Baptist’s annual community outreach.

“One of our visions is to do local missions in North Carolina, and to do missions in the United States and internationally. Touching Lives with Christ and Operation Inasmuch help us get families involved with missions projects,” Major said.

In Scotland Neck, Dawson Baptist Church also found a creative way to serve the community. Their “Relief at the Pump” outreach took place at the Shell gas station on Main Street, where youth and adults spent the morning pumping gas and cleaning windshields.

That morning the station discounted gas 25 cents, with the church making up the difference. “It was busy all morning long. There was already a line when we got there,” said youth pastor Will Matthews.

Matthews said the idea for the outreach came after church members saw a television news report about poverty in the Scotland Neck area. “It got us to talking about what we can do to reach out,” he said.

Operation Inasmuch allowed the church to help meet a need and to share the gospel.

“Just about everyone asked why we were doing it, which gave us a really good opportunity to share Christ.”

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Inasmuch United Sumter, SC!

May 13, 2012 By Leave a Comment

The Item, Sumter, SC’s local paper, published a SECOND nice article on May 1, 2012 about Inasmuch United Sumter which was conducted on April 28. It’s filled with great pictures from that event, like the one below. Read the article here (and see six more great pix!): Inasmuch United Sumter – Helping those who need it most.

Children enjoy a block party held at Crosswell Park during Inasmuch United Sumter on Saturday. A similar event was held in the Cherryvale community as well.

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The Compassion Revolution Spreads Across North Carolina

May 9, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Scroll down to read FIVE articles that show how churches across North Carolina are spreading the Compassion Revolution through a two-weekend, statewide Inasmuch United! The articles feature efforts in Cleveland, Lincoln (Denver), Rockingham, and Stokes Counties, NC.

Cleveland County, NC’s The Shelby Star published The following article on May 5, 2012:

‘This is what God tells us to do’: Volunteers clean yards, do home repairs during Operation Inasmuch

by Rebecca Clark

Chuck Thomas finishes up the final touches on a porch repair job on a home near Polkville. Thomas was one of many volunteers from Dover Baptist Church who participated in the nationwide program, Operation Inasmuch, where participants from churches do yard work and odd jobs for people in need. (Ben Earp/The Star)

Jacqueline Walker moves slowly, gripping the handles of her metal walker as she makes her way to the door.

Walker lives alone and keeping up with home repairs and yard work is more than she can do.

Saturday, as part of Operation Inasmuch, volunteers from Dover Baptist Church on Polkville Road were hard at work all around the county constructing wheelchair ramps, mowing lawns and doing minor home repairs.

At Walker’s home on Weatherly Lane, a group from Dover Baptist in blue t-shirts worked to fix a porch railing and put in new columns.

“It is needed and they have done such a super job,” Walker said, observing the work going on through the glass front door. “It has really been wonderful.”

She said she has lived in the home around 17 years, and has had trouble getting around.

“I feel so helpless, sitting in here,” Walker said.

She said when she was younger she was part of a volunteer group called Helping Hands.

“It comes around every once in awhile,” Walker said.

Operation Inasmuch is a national non-profit that motivates church goers to get out into the community and lend a helping hand to those in need.

Each year, churches around the county mobilize their congregations to get out and do volunteer work.

Ashley Smith cleaned out the gutters on Walker’s small brown house.

Ashley Smith said her three daughters, 10, 19 and 17-years-old, are all participating in volunteer work around the county and her 17-year-old was finishing up an SAT exam and then heading to Christine’s Home to do yard work.

“We’re just doing this because it’s what Christians are supposed to do,” she said. “Help each other.”

On the other side of Shelby, on Washburn Switch Road, a group of men, also from Dover Baptist, pounded nails and cut planks as they worked to construct a wheelchair ramp.

Ashley Smith, who participated in Operation Inasmuch Saturday, cleans out the gutters of a home. (Ben Earp/The Star)

Tim Bailey said the group had arrived at the home around 9:30 a.m. and went straight to work.

Posts were pounded into the ground alongside the sidewalk and the skeleton of the ramp was slowly emerging.

Some men pounded nails while others cut planks to the right size.

Bailey said this is the first year Dover Baptist has been involved with Operation Inasmuch.

Many churches had already completed projects last Saturday while Dover, Camps Creek Baptist and Northside Baptist churches all participated this Saturday.

“This is what God tells us to do,” Bailey said, gesturing at the ramp.

He said the name of the non-profit comes from a Bible verse in Matthew and is the motivation behind the work.

“In as much as you do for the least of these, you do for me,” Bailey recited.

Reach reporter Rebecca Clark at 704-669-3344

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 The following article was published on May 4, 2012 in the Denver Weekly an online newspaper serving Denver, North Carolina:

Denver Baptist volunteers lend a hand for a day

by Sarah Grano

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.

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)

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.”

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 The Winston-Salem Journal published the following article on May 2, 2012:

Churches help Rockingham County community through mission blitz

By STEVE LAWSON
MAYODAN — As usual, Sunday services at churches involved in last Saturday’s Operation Inasmuch were filled with testimonials concerning the reactions of people helped during the one-day missions blitz — as well as the blessings received by those doing the helping.

But Cathy Cardwell of Mayodan First Baptist Church said reactions began for her well ahead of Saturday’s multiple projects. Cardwell oversees the Hands of God food pantry housed at First Baptist and was responsible for helping prepare 100 bags of groceries for distribution Saturday.

One of the first things Cardwell noticed was the sharp increase in the cost of filling those bags. Two years ago, purchasing enough food for 100 bags took $1,400. This year the amount grew to $2,200.

“It attracts a lot of attention when you go to buy that much food,” Cardwell said.

When she started through the checkout line at Wal-Mart with carts filled with canned goods and other food items, Cardwell said people started asking her why she was buying so much.

“When I told them about Operation Inasmuch and giving away 100 bags of food in one day, everyone wanted to help,” she said. “It was really a blessing to see that kind of response even before the event itself.”

But the pre-event blessings were far from finished. Cardwell said she had to send her husband, Doug, to Food Lion to pick up some remaining items one day last week.

“As he was checking out with another cart filled with groceries, someone asked him what all the food was for,” Cardwell said. “When he told them about Operation Inasmuch, the person handed him a dollar. They told Doug they couldn’t do much, but they wanted to give something to help. Now, that was a blessing.”

Saturday was the fourth edition of Operation Inasmuch for the Western Rockingham County area. Local churches – including Mayodan First, Woodbine and Comer’s Chapel Baptist churches – joined forces to fulfill a wide variety of missions projects.

More than 300 people of all ages worked through most of the day to complete tasks ranging from building wheelchair ramps, painting and re-glazing windows, planting a community garden, giving manicures, handing out quarters at laundromats, mowing lawns and cleaning gutters, washing cars or making no-sew blankets.

Bill Scheib directed Saturday’s communitywide missions blitz with the help of his wife, Sherry. Scheib said the event carried a lasting impact, both for those rendering and those receiving the provided services.

“It’s really about reaching out to help others, to demonstrate God’s unconditional love in some tangible ways,” Scheib said. “It’s about making the Bible come to life for our community.”

Operation Inasmuch began in 1995 as a one-day outreach project for Snyder Memorial Baptist Church in Fayetteville. The program grew so successful at involving church members with people in their community that it was soon picked up by neighboring churches. Within a few years, the missions project spread to neighboring counties, states and even to Canada and England.

The project’s primary focus is mobilizing church members to reach out to people outside the church walls. Operation Inasmuch is based on a lesson Jesus taught his disciples on the Mount of Olives in Matthew 25:40 – “And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.”

Scheib said the focus of the event was changing lives by working together for even a single day.

“In just one day, you can plant a garden or paint a house, teach a children’s Bible study or build a wheelchair ramp,” he said. “In just one day, you can change a person’s life forever by showing that you care and that God cares.”

At one point Saturday morning, more than 50 people were involved in the Operation Inasmuch ministry at Jacob’s Creek Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Madison. While about 30 people gathered in the dining room to sing hymns and gospel songs for residents, another group was visible in the courtyard through the floor-to-ceiling windows along one side of the room.

The large crew in the courtyard had been busy since early morning completely remodeling the area. The work included building a waterfall feature, planting new greenery and flowers and adding new birdhouses.

While some worked on the landscaping and rebuilding, another crew worked on the walls surrounding the courtyard – painting and re-glazing the windows and trim.

“It’s amazing what you can accomplish with a few contributions and enough cooperation,” Amanda Cardwell said. “This is going to be such a nice area for these residents to get outside and enjoy the fresh air and sunshine. I’ve already had several tell me how much this means to them and that’s what this is all about – reaching out to others with God’s love.”

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Richmond County Daily Journal,  the online newspaper serving Rockingham, NC, published the following article on May 2, 2012

Second Baptist to hold Operation Inasmuch

Members of Second Baptist Church in Hamlet will participate in Operation Inasmuch on Saturday.

This program is a one-day blitz of ministry and mission work. The program was developed by David Crocker, a minister in Fayetteville, in 1995. Now, more than 500 churches, as well as two other countries, participate. Operation Inasmuch is derived from Matthew 25:40, which reads “Inasmuch as you do it to the least of my brethren, you do unto me.”

Approximately 12 different activities will be included in Operation Inasmuch at Second Baptist Church in Hamlet.

The activities include a prayer walk at 8:45 a.m., a health screening from 9:15 a.m. to 12 p.m. and at 6 p.m. the movie “Courageous” will be shown in the Family Education Center.

The public is invited to attend these activities.

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The following article was published May 1, 2012 in King, NC ‘s online newspaper The Stokes News:

Operation Inasmuch 2012 deemed a success

Pine Hall Missionary Baptist Church is thankful for God’s blessings during the annual Operation Inasmuch initiative on April 28th.

Members gathered tools, supplies, and ate a snack. Pastor Richard F. Lowery prayed, gave members their charge for the day of service, and the teams left the church heading to their projects.

For one of the projects the youth along with some of the men of the church were excited to work on an elderly member’s yard. There was physical labor involved, but the youth stepped up to the challenge. Rocks were hauled, branches were cut and weeds were weeded; but it was truly a labor of love.

Two teams delivered Food for the Body and Food for the Soul. Each team visited sick and shut-ins, shared songs, Scripture, and prayer with them. As they departed they left homemade soup and desserts.

Clothing was given away at Fowler Park again this year, with anything remaining being given to the East Stokes Outreach Ministry. This was a beautiful way of ministering and encouraging men, women, boys and girls in our community.

Food and other items were collected at Ingles and given to the East Stokes Outreach Ministry. Ingles was more than happy to assist in this endeavor for such a worthy cause. Just about everyone has been touched by East Stokes Outreach Ministry. They are a huge blessing to our entire community and we appreciate them.

The Rev. Lowery and the members of the Operation Inasmuch Ministry would like to thank all of the volunteers, the Town of Walnut Cove, Ingles, The Stokes News, and the entire community for helping to make this year’s event a success.

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Churches Unite to Serve Spartanburg, SC

May 7, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Two churches from Spartanburg, SC, uniquely combined a Car Care Clinic with a blood drive on their first ever Inasmuch event conducted April 28, 2012

The following article was published on April 27, 2012 in GoUpstate.com as part of an events about town article:

The Stroller: ‘You can bet’

By Lou Parris stroller@shj.com

ODDS AND ENDS: Swing by St. John’s Lutheran Church on Saturday between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. and leave the car’s dirt with Operation Inasmuch volunteers, including folks from Trinity Methodist in Converse Heights. These volunteers will wash vehicles for free and even check the hoses under the hood and make sure your fluid levels are where they should be. It’s a no-strings-attached event, but while you’re there, consider rolling up those sleeves and giving blood. The Bloodmobile will be there for donors starting at 9 a.m. The church is at 415 S. Pine St.

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The organizers of the Spartanburg Inasmuch event tell us that at least two people read this article and came by to offer blood!

Pictures of the event are posted on Facebook here.

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Inasmuch United Serves Families in Mountain City, TN

May 3, 2012 By Leave a Comment

The following article was published on April 25, 2012 in The Tomahawk, Mountain City, TN’s online newspaper.

Operation Inasmuch service projects benefit local families

By Lacy Hilliard

Bright and early on a classic mountain spring morning, church members from various churches in Johnson County gathered together to carry out “Operation Inasmuch.” Named for the New King James verse, Matthew 25:40 “And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me”; founder David Crocker, created Operation Inasmuch in 1995 with the hope that his message will help provide guidance to twenty-first century ministry leaders. Crocker’s vision is to “mobilize believers in hands-on local church missions through one-day ministries that have significant impact both on the community and the church” and judging by the enthusiasm of the Johnson County participants, it’s safe to say Crocker has succeeded.

Thomas Peake, pastor at Mountain City Presbyterian Church, helped to launch the Johnson County division of Operation Inasmuch in 2010. Though Peake pioneered the local movement, many churches led a hand in this noble mission. Regardless of denomination, members of Mountain City Presbyterian Church, First United Methodist, the Methodist Circuit, Victory Chapel Cowboy Church, Bethany Baptist Church, First Assembly of God, The Church of God, and First Christian Church stayed true to the inspiration of the mission by working together to carry out the good work of “Inasmuch.”

The morning began with a cheerful devotional given by evangelist Richard Foster. As Foster joked about sermons beginning in Genesis and ending in Exodus, he led the participants in prayer as they readied themselves for the day’s tasks. The mission was organized on poster board with each task outlined and assigned. The thirty-plus volunteers (both young and old) deployed on missions ranging from construction projects, to light housekeeping, to lawn maintenance, each with a smile and the hope of bringing joy to less fortunate community members. Aunt and niece team Laura and Cora Hayworth was assigned to a local laundromat to hand out quarters to locals. This random act of kindness was well received by laundromat customers, some asking the pair to save the quarters for those in need while others graciously accepting and thanking the pair for this unexpected blessing. The duo also headed out to Ralph Stout Park and handed out bottled water to park-goers while spreading the positive message of Operation Inasmuch through fliers designed to get the word out while another group worked to install a wheelchair ramp for one local resident. Peake, Pastor Phyllis Hankins, and Janice Russell made their way to the Mountain City Care Center to provide communion and fellowship to the nursing homes residents. There were smiles from ear to ear and even a few tears on the faces of the home’s occupants as they sang along with Hankins and Russell to “Amazing Grace.”

Operation Inasmuch is an excellent community based effort. Each participant brought a positive attitude and a willing spirit. There were even many behind-the-scenes volunteers providing a home-cooked lunch to the workers and helping to coordinate project locations and contact information. If you are interested in helping with Operation Inasmuch or any other community oriented charity efforts, please contact Thomas Peake of Mountain City Presbyterian at 727-8801 or Carroll Hayworth of Victory Chapel Cowboy Church at 727-1975.

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NC Baptists Moving Out to Serve

April 27, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Scroll down to read several articles about the April 28 statewide Baptist Inasmuch event in North Carolina.

The following article appeared Friday, Apr 27 2012, in Cleveland County, NC’s shelbystar.com.

Hundreds of volunteers branch out for two days of service

Friday, Apr 27 2012, 11:59 am
by Jackie Bridges

This weekend and next, volunteers from 24 churches in Cleveland County will be serving the community by providing meals, building wheelchair ramps, showing appreciation to firefighters and even helping to buy gas for unsuspecting customers.

Kim Wilson helps homeowner David Walker dig out a place for a ramp outside his home on Gatewood Drive in Fallston for preliminary Inasmuch project in 2010. Photo Brittany Randolph/The Star

The acts of kindness are part of “Operation Inasmuch,” a ministry supported by the North Carolina Baptist Men, said David Brown, county coordinator.

The event, which gets its name from Matthew 25:40 — “Truly I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me.”  — is a one-day missions blitz that will be taking place Saturday and on May 5 in all 100 North Carolina counties.

Churches participating are Buffalo Baptist, Bethany Baptist, First Baptist Shelby, Zoar Baptist, Second Baptist Kings Mountain, Elizabeth Baptist, Plainsview Baptist, Dover Baptist, Eastside Baptist, Westview Baptist, Carpenters Grove Baptist, New Hope Baptist, Trinity Baptist, Hopper’s Chapel, Sandy Plains Baptist, New Bethel Baptist, Calvary Baptist, Camps Creek Baptist, Second Baptist Shelby, Northside Baptist, Beaver Dam Baptist, Ross Grove Baptist, Zion Baptist and Poplar Springs Baptist.

Ladies of Elizabeth Baptist Church help build a ramp at a home on Gatewood Drive in Fallston for preliminary Inasmuch project in 2010. Photo Brittany Randolph/The Star

Volunteers will be building wheelchair ramps, repairing homes, serving firefighters a steak dinner, giving away clothes and food, picking up litter, raising money for Relay for Life, hosting a block party in the Ramblewood area, working at Special Olympics and sponsoring several other projects for the elderly, families, children and others.

Members of the Cleveland County Operation Inasmuch committee are Melanie Shull, Katie Harris, Janet Brown and the Rev. Jerry Welch.

Sponsors are:

Gold — Hoke Enterprizes, Cleveland County Home Builders and Keeter Ford

Silver — Restco, Monroe Tire, Carolina Crossings Restaurant, First National Bank, Joey Hamrick Construction, Business Consulting Group, Hendrick Appliance, What’s Up Shopper/WOHS, H&H Pest Control, Elizabeth Baptist Church, Trinity Baptist Church and Putnam Distributors

Reach Jackie Bridges at 704-669-3337.

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The following article was published in Dunn, NC’s The Daily Record in April, 2012.

North Clinton Avenue To Hold Operation Inasmuch Event

On Saturday, North Clinton Avenue Baptist Church, along with hundreds of churches in the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina, will conduct Operation Inasmuch.

According to organizers, Operation Inasmuch is a way for a church to show the love of Jesus Christ in a very real way. The name Inasmuch is taken from Matthew 25:40. Operation Inasmuch began in Fayetteville in 1995 and has spread across theUnited States and into other countries.

North Clinton Church will offer a “yard sale” giveaway. Clothing and household items will be given away to those who are in need in the community. A community garden also will be planted to provide those in need with fresh produce later in the spring. These projects will begin at 9 a.m. Saturday.

A ticketed barbecue dinner will be served that evening from 4 to 6. Tickets can be picked up onSaturday morning at the church. There are a limited number of tickets available. This will be a dine-in only event.

North Clinton Church is also participating in a Food Roundup for the Baptist Children’s Home. Canned food and other staples can be donated at the church anytime Saturday.

North Clinton Avenue Baptist Church is located at 507 N. Clinton Ave., Dunn, where the Rev. Billy Stines is pastor.

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The following article appeared April 26, 2012 in The King, NC Stokes News:

Pine Hall Missionary Baptist to participate in outreach day

Pine Hall Missionary Baptist Church is preparing for Operation Inasmuch, which will be held on April 28th. Operation Inasmuch is a one-day mission event where hundreds of churches and thousands of volunteers throughout the state share the love of Jesus Christ with people in their communities.

Operation Inasmuch encourages churches to minister to those in need in their communities through hands-on projects. The Rev. Richard F. Lowery, pastor of the church, not only leads members in prayer and gives them their charge before the teams depart for their various projects — he also visits the site of each project during the day, encouraging the members and ministering to those he comes in contact with.

Projects that Pine Hall did previously were to build a handicap ramp and deliver Baskets of Love to law enforcement agents, firemen, EMS workers, and nursing home residents. They also visited the sick and shut-in, repaired an elderly member’s furnace and gave away clothing at Fowler Park.

This year members will do yard work at an elderly member’s home and visit sick and shut-in members to deliver homemade soup to them. Again this year from 9 a.m. until 11:30 a.m., a clothes giveaway will be held at Fowler Park in the heart of Walnut Cove. Also this year, the church has partnered with Ingles Grocery Store to allow customers to purchase items needed at East Stokes Outreach between 9 a.m. and noon. Members will be on hand to collect the items (a list will be displayed of the items most desperately needed), and they will be delivered to the mission after the event.

Operation Inasmuch provides the opportunity to people in the various communities. It is a time to bless others as God has blessed you.

The first Operation Inasmuch event was held in 1995 as an independent ministry of Snyder Memorial Baptist Church in Fayetteville. Since then, Operation Inasmuch has helped train churches to conduct one-day missions events in communities across North Carolina and also in other states.

More than 1,600 churches in 21 states have participated in one-day service events. The outreach takes its name from Matthew 25:40: “Truly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me.”

Anyone interested in more information or volunteering can call the church at 336-548-9556.

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Inasmuch to Unite Sumter, SC

April 24, 2012 By Leave a Comment

The Item, Sumter, SC’s local paper, published a nice article on April 2, 2012 about the upcoming Inasmuch United Sumter.

Read the article here: Churches will help Sumter on service day

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Kids Serve Kids During Inasmuch United

April 23, 2012 By Leave a Comment

The following article appeared  April 21 on Knoxville, Tenneesee’s WBIR web site.

“Inasmuch United Knoxville” helps community members

Volunteers from 30 Knoxville area churches set out to serve tens of thousands of people in the community.

It’s the fifth time “Inasmuch United Knoxville” has been held.

30 churches partnered with 27 ministries and agencies to serve those who have needs in the community.

This year’s event offered a special twist.

For the first time, one of the minitries, Knoxville Inner City Kids Outreach will send volunteers rather than recieve them.

The group of nearly 20 at risk teens will help rebuild the playground behind the Laura Cansler Boys and Girls Club.

“Our kids are able to see that they’ve grown up in some of the Boys and Girls Clubs in different communities. And here they are now actually able to give back to the Boys and Girls Club as well,” said Michael Clark, the Youth Coordinator. “It’s just real exciting to see it come full circle to me. They want to do this every week if they could.”

Organizers estimate 2,500 volunteers served 15,000 individuals through “Operation Inasmuch” Saturday.

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Another Inasmuch United this Weekend

April 20, 2012 By Leave a Comment

The following article appeared on April 18, 2012 in The Tomahawk, Mountain City, Tennessee’s online newspaper. The Johnson County Ministerial Alliance will conduct an Inasmuch United on April 21.

Operation Inasmuch coming up Saturday

The Johnson County Ministerial Alliance will conduct its third Operation Inasmuch Service Day on Saturday, April 21, from 9:00 AM to mid afternoon. It will be a day of small repair and cleaning projects for needy people in Mountain City and surrounding areas in Johnson County, as well as special activities including Communion for shut-ins and others. These projects are intended for those who need help because of age or health, or lack of sufficient funds to hire the work done. Operation Inasmuch takes its name from Christ’s statement in Matthew 25:40 “Verily I say unto you, inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.”

Operation Inasmuch began in 1995 at the Snyder Memorial Baptist Church in Fayetteville, North Carolina and has spread to hundreds of churches throughout the U.S. and parts of Canada and the UK. It brings Christians of various denominations together to serve needy people in the name of Jesus Christ.

The Headquarters for this year’s service day will be the First United Methodist Church on Church Street in Mountain City. The group will gather there at 8:30 AM for prayer and final assignments.

Workers with various skills, including carpentry, light housework, yard work, etc. are needed. If you would like to request help with such a project that can be done in one day or if you would like to volunteer, please call Pastors Carroll Hayworth, Victory Chapel (727-1975) or Thomas Peake, Mountain City Presbyterian Church (727-8801). A planning meeting will be held at the First Assembly of God Church at 1923 Highway 421 North on Saturday, April 14th at 10:00 AM.

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