Simple Service connects people to people in a natural, easy and low-risk way. Who doesn’t like being handed an ice-cold bottle of water on a swelteringly hot day? Or getting a free granola bar on those mornings when there is no time for breakfast? It’s one of the most powerful ways we can love our city. And it allows us to touch the hearts of our community long before we can start opening minds. A small act of kindness can nudge a person closer to God.
In October of 2012, much of the East Coast was ravaged by the destruction of Superstorm Sandy. For nearly four months after the storm, the PATH was shut down, and tens of thousands of Hoboken residents scrambled to find other ways to commute into the city.
On January 30, 2013, the morning the Hoboken PATH station re-opened, Hoboken Grace members and staff loaded up Metro cards and swiped through thousands of commuters to celebrate the community’s recovery. The reactions were priceless.
“Really?!”
“Why are you doing this?!”
“Thank you so much!”
“This is amazing.”
After the free swipe, commuters were given a small card explaining why we do what we do and how it all comes down to showing a little bit of the love that Christ gave to us. People can take the card, they can leave the card, or they can throw it away or stuff it in a pocket for later. It’s not up to us to decide what they do with the card or how they react to receiving a free gift. We just show up and act out love.
A great definition of Simple Service is “showing God’s love in practical ways.” It focuses on taking the love of Jesus to the community by doing acts of kindness with absolutely no strings attached.
Every week, we’re reaching out to our city. In the past, Hoboken Grace has engaged in Simple Service projects like:
- Handing out free granola bars and cookies to commuters at the PATH, ferry and Light Rail.
- Handing out free waters on hot days to basketball players in Church Square Park.
What does it take to be a part of Simple Service? All you need is 30 minutes and a willingness to let God use you to put a smile on someone else’s face.
Want to learn more about getting involved in our weekly Simple Service events, and how you can begin to make a difference? Come to our Simple Service get-together session on Sunday, October 18th at 2 p.m. at 301 Garden Street. There will be free snacks and opportunities to see some of the exciting things we have planned for this fall and winter!
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