Prestonwood Church Family “Serves the City”

To witness the powerful impact of Serve the City, you need not look further than the very different circumstances of two women—a young single mom with no church family and a recent widow with longstanding ties to Prestonwood. They were among the many ministered to by our church family on Oct. 23 and 24 through the Career Transitions Workshop and Job Fair, oil change and car wash for single moms, and simple home repairs for widows.

The young single mother of two walked into KidZone, a child on her hip and another tugging at her from below, and all three of them crying. Debbie Stuart, Director of Women’s Ministry, greeted her and spent the next hour listening to her and praying with her while the children played.

“She had tears rolling down her face and she was exhausted, overloaded, hurting and overwhelmed,” Debbie said. “I asked her to tell me her story. It seemed like a hopeless situation, but I was able to talk to her about the hope we have in Jesus Christ.”

While Debbie ministered to her, outside a deacon drove her car across the street to Kwik Kar Lube & Tune for a free oil change, and then drove it back so Student Ministry volunteers could wash and vacuum it. The blessing, Debbie said, was that this young woman was reached because someone else told her about the free oil change. Her oil had not been changed in more than a year, she told Debbie.

“Because a practical need was being met,” Debbie said, “we were able to meet her emotional and spiritual needs as well.”

Some 10 miles away, a woman who lost her husband just weeks ago broke down in tears as she spoke of the blessings of her church family. For Michael Riggs and Stan Hayes, members of her Bible Fellowship, to spend Saturday morning helping with small repairs and projects warmed Carol Glasscock’s heart. They are, after all, like family, she said, and she’s relied on family since husband, J.D., died in September.

After J.D. was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig’s Disease, Carol said a friend sent her a note advising her to let people help her.

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