Raleigh church reaches out with ‘Bibles, Books and Barbecue’

A local women’s ministry believes in reaching outside church walls to touch the community with unique combinations of faith and fellowship.

The group’s next outreach is called “Bibles, Books and Barbecue,” an afternoon that will nourish souls and bodies while filling book bags.

The event is set for 4 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 5, at the Marsh Creek Community Center on New Hope Road in Raleigh. It’s sponsored by The House of Prayer Ministries International.

“A part of our ministry is helping with food, so we have free food,” said pastor Alice Smith. “And we have an awesome worship team and we’re going to do ministry booths where people can come for just prayer or if they had a dream and are in need of dream interpretation. These are gifts that the body of Christ has to help the community.”

Volunteers will distribute school supplies for families who need help.

“We knew there is a need in the community for school supplies when the kids go back to school in August,” Smith said. “We wanted to be a blessing to those who may not have the provision to purchase all the items.”

Smith said members of the outreach team have been buying and collecting school supplies for the event. One team arrived at a cash register with 500 school supply items in their cart. A stranger in line asked if they were teachers, and when they explained the church project the stranger donated money.

“This is just another way God has opened up for us to give to the community,” Smith said.

Smith and her husband, Ray Smith, work side by side at the helm of the House of Prayer Ministries International Raleigh chapter. Congregations are located across the country and around the world.

Part of the mission statement includes being devoted to community service and to those who are less fortunate. Outreach teams from the Raleigh church make regular visits to a nursing home and to an orphanage.

Smith said they are dedicated to these projects because in the Bible’s book of James, Jesus commands his followers to look after widows and orphans.

“He knew there would be people that didn’t have fathers or mothers or maybe not have parents who can provide but he said for us to visit,” Smith said. “It wasn’t like it was a suggestion, it was a commandment. Because those who are followers of Jesus Christ, we do it because we love and we have that love and compassion.”

Some church members involved in “Bibles, Books and Barbecue” also took part in another outreach project called “From Broken to Beautiful” last spring at North Raleigh’s Bedford at Falls River neighborhood. In addition to food and a spiritual message, local artisan Hope Morasco led the group in a jewelry-making session.

“The feedback we got was that they had never been to an event where you get ministry, a free gift like the earrings they made, and then you get food and fellowship, and food always brings fellowship,” Smith said.

For more information, email Smith at rainasmith3@gmail.com or call 919-604-4940.

This story was originally published August 1, 2017 at 12:59 PM with the headline "Raleigh church reaches out with ‘Bibles, Books and Barbecue’."