Wisdom Wednesday: Bedford Hills

Grace and peace to you. I’m Rev. Joe Cailles, the pastor of Peakland United Methodist Church in Lynchburg Virginia. Welcome to Wisdom Wednesdays. I’m posting videos each Wednesday sharing devotions, discussing our church book studies or like I’m doing today, giving you an update on Peakland’s new vision statement: reaching out, serving all, and extending God’s table.

Last October, when we were discerning Christ’s vision for our church, we reached out to community leaders and asked them what the needs were that they saw that Peakland might be able to address. We heard from the Jubilee Center, Parkview and from Bedford Hills elementary school which is a 3 minute drive from our church.
I met with Sherri Steele, the principal of Bedford Hills, and she told me that the school needed three things.

Mini bags of pretzels that she and the teachers could keep on hand to pass out as needed for hungry kids who didn’t have a snack of their own.
Tutors to come to the school
Some form of staff appreciation for the just over 80 folks who work at Bedford Hills.

I have an update for you. Just a few moments ago, I dropped off 99 mini bags of pretzels to the school, using the pastor discretionary funds that you have provided for me to use to help folks out as needed. Thank you for your generosity. I’ll check in with Principal Steele to see how long 99 mini bags will last.

I’m going to begin tutoring at Bedford Hills on Thursday afternoons at least once a month. I start next week. One or two others from Peakland will be helping out as well.

As far as staff appreciation for the folks at Bedford Hills, that’s where I need some help. I’m not sure what would work best or who in our church would like to help with that. If you have an idea or want to volunteer send me an email.

These are good first steps, and I’m proud that Peakland is able to take them. As we and the folks at Bedford Hills get to know each other, I suspect there will be many other ways our church will keep on reaching out, serving all, and extending God’s table.

For now, keep the students and staff of Bedford Hills Elementary in your prayers. Keep Peakland in your prayers too.

Thanks be to God!