Charlotte County United Methodist Charge Mission Team Serves the Roanoke Community

By April Hall, Staff Writer

ROANOKE – The Charlotte County United Methodist Charge Mission Team traveled to Roanoke last week to perform various mission work projects while helping to spread the Word of God to the area’s community.

“It is important for disciples of Christ to work for change in the world,” stated Justin Hicks, pastor of the Charlotte County UMC Charge. “During our week of service we asked our students and adults to step out of their comfort zones and serve in the way that Christ has called us.”

The mission team worked on low income houses by painting, replacing porch stairs, drywall repairs, and helped to paint a church.

The Charge, made up of Charlotte Court House UMC, Hebron UMC, Lebanon UMC and Mount Calvary UMC, worked with an organization called REACH while in the Roanoke community. REACH serves Southeast Roanoke through REACH Youth Missions, a summer work camp, and through REACH Community Engagement, an asset-based community development and transformation intermediary.

“We received so much support from our church family to help us get there and we spent every moment finding ways to be of service,” said Hicks.

In addition to working on houses and a church, the team also worked the Christian Soldiers Food Bank, The Rescue Mission, The Salvation Army, spent time with kids at the West End Center, worked with rescued animals, and helped with a community block party and cookout.

“It is our hope that this is not just a one-week event but a new lifestyle and way of life for our
churches,” said Hicks. “We are also reminded that we don’t always have to go to another place to find places to serve. There are places to mend God’s creation right in our backyard,” he concluded.

To learn more about the REACH program, visit REACHinRoanokeVA.org.