vice but wanted their prayers liſted up. Teens culled prayer requests from guests while mingling during dinner. Mandy (last names of guests
omitted) wanted people to pray that she would find the money for gas to make it to her new job. Rhonda sought relief from her
debilitating back pain. Young Serena asked for prayers
Camille Tate helps a youngster with communion, served by An- thony Messing at Advent Lutheran Church, Charlotte, N.C.
More than just a place to sleep
By Debra Madaris Efird And greater things are still to be done in this city … (Chris Tomlin, singer). T
he words of the Christian pop song “God of Tis City” echoed in the dimly lit sanctuary as a
small group of youth and adults gath- ered for worship. In this suburban church, most of the worshipers knew they would return to the streets the next morning to scrap for survival. Te respite was sweet. For a night
the homeless could release their worries at Advent Lutheran Church, Charlotte, N.C. Because of a worship service led by teenagers, they did more than sleep in God’s house. Te teenagers’ involvement started
in September 2012 when the Demo- cratic National Convention was held in Charlotte. Te local “Room in the Inn” program finds churches and other sites willing to feed and house the homeless during the coldest months of the year (December-
24
www.thelutheran.org
March). Realizing the increased hotel rates for the convention would prohibit some of the city’s homeless from staying in their usual weekly hotels, “Room in the Inn” asked for additional accommodations. In addition to hosting the home-
less on Monday nights for more than 10 years, Advent selected the two Friday nights of the 10-day conven- tion, and the youth stepped forward to host and lead worship.
Back to worship A teenager welcomed worshipers. Led by two others on their guitars, they sang two songs. A girl read Scripture, and the whole group—a mix of ages, races and socioeconomic status—circled the altar to join hands in prayer, including requests from guests who chose not to join the ser-
that she and her brothers would find stable housing so they could return to school. Jared asked for a simple prayer of
thanksgiving for life itself. Aſter the pastor presided over
communion, worshipers linked arms, singing and swaying to the old Bill Withers song “Lean on Me.” As people moved back to their
cots in the gym, Advent’s young members hoped their guests would see themselves as revered children of God. You see, oſten the home- less are welcomed into church gyms and basements as part of a shelter program, but not into the sanctuaries for prayer and worship. In December 2012, when the
church began its normal Monday night schedule as hosts, the youth decided they wanted to continue— even though they had school the next day. Tey still provide weekly worship, some of them never missing a Monday, a few of them bringing along their parents. Charlotte’s large homeless popu-
lation continues to be a challenge, and Advent members—especially the youth—aim to serve them in a respectful, dignified way.
Author bio: Efird is a school counselor in Harrisburg, N.C. Every Christmas vacation she spends a night at Advent with the homeless.
RICK MESSINA
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