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Agape Meals: An Extension of Helping Hands
Church Family,
If you were present for worship this past Sunday—or listened online—you heard me preach from Jesus’ parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25–37). I want to follow up by providing a bit more clarity on how that text is shaping the next steps in our mercy ministry at FPCOS, and to invite you to consider a particular way to participate.
Mercy as Grateful Response
The Good Samaritan ultimately points us to Christ himself—our true Neighbor—who crosses the road and enters the ditch of the broken and helpless condition of our soul, bearing the full and eternal cost of our salvation.
When Jesus tells the lawyer, “You go, and do likewise,” he is not establishing a new law by which mercy earns life. Rather, he is calling for a response shaped by gratitude. Mercy is not the condition for receiving God’s love; it is the fruit of having already received it.
That distinction matters for everything that follows.
Agape Meals: An Extension of Helping Hands
One concrete expression of this gospel-shaped mercy is a new extension of our Helping Hands ministry we are calling Agape Meals.
When someone comes to us for help, we don’t want to say no. But our yes must be more than transactional. Providing assistance is good and necessary, but our deeper calling is to welcome people into the life of the church—into relationship, worship, and community where the gospel is heard and seen over time.
Sharing a meal together—without pressure or program—creates space for that kind of welcome.
What are Agape Meals?
* Simple, covered-dish lunches with as little fuss and mess as possible
* Held after worship on the 2nd and 4th Sundays of each month
For most of us, these meals will simply be times of unhurried fellowship with one another. That is not incidental—it is formative. And it is our prayer and eager expectation that the Lord will use these meals to build trust and open doors to gospel conversations with those seeking help and hope.
We are not looking for a large group—around 30–40 people at a time. Because the meals occur twice a month, we hope for a number of families who can participate as they are able, not every time.
Our first Agape Meal will be:
Sunday, February 8 at 12:30 PM in the Commons
If you’re able to attend, bring a dish for your family and one other. If you plan to come, please let me know so we can plan well.
From Helping Hands to Hope Exchange
I also want to situate Agape Meals within a broader vision we’ve been praying toward.
For many years, Helping Hands has been a fruitful ministry at FPCOS. In recent years, however—especially since COVID—it has become clear that our community has changed. Increasingly, the assistance we provide has been transactional rather than transformational.
For the past year, the Missions Team has been praying for renewed direction, and the Lord has led us to learn from a ministry in Jackson called Hope Exchange.
“Hope Exchange uses biblically based job preparedness and financial literacy tools that equip individuals with practical skills and knowledge; it facilitates empowering relationships and builds bridges to meaningful work and financial stability.”
www.hopeexchangejackson.org/about-us
Several of us visited Hope Exchange in Jackson last summer. In December, we hosted a luncheon with local churches and ministries to explore partnership possibilities. In January, 13 of us from FPCOS and our local mission partners began a seven-week training through The Chalmers Center to become certified to offer their Work Life course locally.
“Work Life is a work readiness program that equips people in economically challenged communities to overcome barriers to meaningful work through a biblically integrated curriculum offered in a supportive learning community.”
chalmers.org/training/work-life
Our hope is that Helping Hands assistance, combined with worship and the relational welcome of Agape Meals, will serve as a natural pathway into this deeper, longer-term ministry of encouragement and formation.
An Invitation, Not an Obligation
If this is not the right season for you, please hear no pressure. I am deeply thankful for the many ways you already serve and reflect Christ’s mercy. But if you are feeling the nudge of the Spirit to help set the table—literally and figuratively—I would be grateful for your presence.
As Jesus reminds us, the whole Law and the Prophets hang on loving God fully and loving our neighbor as ourselves (Matthew 22:37–40). Agape Meals are one small, practical way we are seeking to live that out together. Let us break bread together.
Grace and peace,
Kory
Ladies’ Christmas Party Fun!
Our church gathered last week for our 5th Annual Ladies Christmas Party, and it was such a joyful evening together. Nearly 80 women filled the room with warmth, laughter, and Christmas cheer. Over a delicious dinner and dessert, we had the chance to slow down, connect with one another, and enjoy the cheerful spirit of the night.
Children’s Ministry expansion
In response to the significant growth in our children’s ministry last spring, we took the opportunity to restructure our elementary Faith Foundations classes levels over the summer. Little did we know – those changes were not going to be adequate! On our first Sunday back this fall, we were bursting at the seams and already needed another shuffle to accommodate the growing number of children.
Our Faith Foundations Kick-off this year saw nearly double the number of children from 2024. This is a big deal, and represents A LOT of children that we can help grow in their faith! In order to accommodate our increased attendance, we are claiming three more rooms on the third floor of the Education Building. During the month of September we will be working hard to paint, furnish, and decorate a vibing space for our 5th and 6th graders. They will be moving down the hall, which will give them a little separation from the younger kids, and allow room for our 3rd and 4th graders to have their own space in the previous 5th-6th grade room.
We pray these changes will provide these kids with ample space to fellowship, play, snack, and of course gather together to hear the Word of God.
Aimie
What’s the Big Dig?
If you’ve driven through our lower parking lot, you’ve probably noticed some construction behind the Harbor House. Earlier this year, the Session approved building a sport court for use by our Youth and Children’s programs. It will be poured concrete and painted with lines for a pickleball court and a short half-court for basketball. We’ll also be putting a four-foot white fence around the court that is similar to the one that surrounds the Children’s House playground.
The project has been delayed due to the extensive rain over the last month, but we are planning to have the concrete in place as soon as conditions allow. We’re really looking forward to putting the sport court to use!
Welcome to the FPCOS Blog!
Welcome to the new blog from First Presbyterian Church! We’re excited to have a fresh way to share the life of our church family with you. Here you’ll find regular updates on things that are happening around our campus, stories and photos from recent activities, and an opportunity to celebrate the many ways God is at work among us. Whether you’re a longtime member, a newcomer, or just curious about our community, we hope this space will help you stay connected, encouraged and inspired.
Greg