From your pastor…
“There was a leper who came to Jesus and knelt before him, saying, ‘Lord, if you choose, you can make me clean.’ Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, ‘I do choose. Be made clean!’ Immediately his leprosy was cleansed.” Matthew 8: 2-3, NRSV
Healing the sick was a large part of Jesus’ ministry. God cares for those who are ill and wants us to have a good quality of life and well-being. God values us and the bodies that we have are considered temples of the living God! So, we need to do our best to take care of ourselves. We have decided to collaborate with the Common Ground Health Clinic in serving people in this community to promote good health. You can go on their website and learn a great deal about how they serve this community. The website is: commongroundclinic.org
Common Ground has a new executive director, Mr. Preston Wright, Jr. He is from New Orleans, and even lived part of his life in Algiers. They are planning a welcome event in the near future for people to meet and greet him. However, he plans at this time, to join us for our Give Away and Health Fair on Saturday, November 8, here at Algiers UMC from 9am to 1pm. One of the ways that they serve the community is by providing a resource/referral guide which is updated annually. I use that resource weekly as a pastor to refer people in need to agencies that may be able to help them. People can make appointments to see a Doctor at the clinic. Also, now confidential HIV testing is available at the Clinic located at 1400 Teche Street, PH: 504-365-8800.
Common Ground is also sponsoring a Farmer’s Market on Saturdays in Algiers at 922 Teche Street. It is tentatively scheduled to re-open in November with fresh vegetables and other goodies for sale. And the Women’s Wellness program meets at the clinic on Tuesday evenings, and on the fourth Tuesday of the month, a cooking class is held here at our church. Good nutrition is important for good health. These are some of the services that this clinic offers. The Board members meet here at our church once a month, also. Spread the word and let us together do all that we can to help people to be made whole!
Grace and peace,
Rev. Becky