HOULTON, Maine — Military Street Baptist Church has adopted an entire town block for a year and assumed a great deal of responsibility for their new “family.” Pastor Randall Burns says a mission group went to Los Angeles in April and visited the Dream Center “which has become a national organization with a vision for loving their neighbors as themselves as Jesus has commanded us.”
Burns says the church members pray for their adopted block residents. But, he insists, there is no proselytizing or attempt to recruit them as new members of the congregation. The project, according to Burns, is a mission of caring and “just showing love to our neighbors.”
The church has adopted the square block bounded by Kelleran, Military, Park and School streets. And every third Saturday of the month volunteers fill gift bags with donated items ranging from fresh produce to hygiene items, baked goods and clothing. Last Saturday, a group of volunteers knocked on doors to drop off smoke detectors in recognition of the upcoming Fire Prevention Month along with homemade cookies.
According to Tammy Goetsch, the church’s community relations coordinator, “people are becoming more open and starting to trust us as they see we are for real.” As they go from door to door, volunteers ask if a resident needs any other household supplies or personal items. This week, there were requests for soap and diapers, which were quickly retrieved from the pick-up truck carrying the bags and other items like toiletries and cleansers. About 20 of the 50 volunteers actually knock on doors and hand out the gift bags. Children are often along with parents for the monthly giveaway.
Houlton Pioneer Times Photo/Elna Seabrooks
PACKING UP — Nanette Mills and her daughter Sierra Rhoda pack gift bags for residents of the block adopted by Military Street Baptist Church.
In August, the church members filled nearly 100 backpacks with school supplies since some children don’t return to the classroom with a full complement of notebooks, pens and pencils. Burns said some residents heard about it and came from as far away as Oakfield for the supplies. Along with the backpacks, the volunteers distributed gently used clothing. A block party hosted a bounce house, games, face painting and storytelling as well as free hot dogs. Volunteers delivered extra backpacks to Mill Pond School in Hodgdon and Southside School in Houlton.
