Sharing gifts, cleaning streets: ‘ServeNC’ day 1 highlights

Read our day one highlights from the statewide ‘ServeNC’ initiative.

On Aug. 3-10, more than 1,000 churches are partnering together to serve North Carolina communities as part of a statewide emphasis called “ServeNC.”

The “ServeNC” initiative, organized by North Carolina Baptists and their partnering organization Baptists on Mission, encourages churches to consider and respond to the needs of local neighborhoods by taking on service projects within their communities. By the time the emphasis week began on Saturday, Aug. 3, more than 1,150 churches in 92 North Carolina counties had committed to serve. A map of churches participating in “ServeNC” can be found here.

Did your church complete a “ServeNC” service project? Let us know by filling out this celebration form here. Be sure to share your story with us on social media by tagging @ncbaptist using the hashtag #ServeNC. We want to celebrate with you!

Following are some highlights from day one of “ServeNC.”

Day one highlights

Approximately 50 miles north of Raleigh, North Henderson Baptist Church in Henderson hosted a one-day Vacation Bible School for community members with disabilities. The event included games, music, crafts and a Bible study for attendees.
Euto Baptist Church in New Salem partnered with their local elementary school to complete yard work and landscaping projects in preparation for the new school year.
In Raleigh, Wake Cross Roads Baptist Church kicked off their “ServeNC” week at Neuse River Middle School, completing landscaping projects and other maintenance work.
In Youngsville, members of Faith Baptist Church en Español cleaned debris and litter found on streets around the neighborhood, praying for community members as they passed by.
Volunteers from Fairview Baptist Church in Apex partnered with Baptists on Mission to offer a free dental clinic to the community through Baptists on Mission’s mobile dental unit. Baptists on Mission offers dental and medical buses for churches to use year-round as one of their 19 different ministries supported by the North Carolina Missions Offering.

Contributed photo. Members of Fairview Baptist Church in Apex partner with Baptists on Mission to offer a free dental clinic to the community.

As part of the Church Weekday Education Conference taking place in Apex on Aug. 2-3, church preschool directors from across the state participated in “ServeNC” by packing goodie bags for local preschool teachers.
Just outside of Asheville, First Baptist Church of Swannanoa served their community by offering a free clothes giveaway, food box distribution and free car washes, as well as completing cleaning projects at their local school.
In Lumberton, volunteers from Iglesia Bautista Bet-el spent the day cleaning trash and debris on the side of streets around the community.
Near Fayetteville, Hillcrest Baptist Church took on service projects at a local farmers market in Raeford.
In Edgecombe County, Webbs Chapel Baptist Church partnered with Pinetops Baptist Church to greet shoppers with bottles of water and gospel conversations at a neighborhood grocery store.
Five churches in Rockingham County — New Vision Fellowship, Mayodan First Baptist Church, Pioneer Church, Ayersville Baptist Church, Stoneville First Baptist Church — joined efforts to complete service projects in the community, including giving away gift bags to the local police department.
North of Charlotte, First Baptist Church of Kannapolis fed the local high school football team and also organized a free yard sale for the community.
Crabtree Baptist Church in Clyde hosted a “giveaway day” at the church, allowing community members to shop for items at no cost. The church also took on a landscape transformation project at nearby Riverbend Elementary School.
In Candler, Ridgeway Baptist Church performed landscape work at a local elementary school by pulling weeds, planting flowers, spreading mulch and working in flower beds.

Contributed photo. Members of Ridgeway Baptist Church in Candler help a local elementary school prepare for the new school year by planting flowers.

Think Kingdom Church in Kannapolis helped families prepare for the upcoming school year by giving away free book bags to the community.
In eastern North Carolina, Burgaw Baptist Church got church members of all ages involved in “ServeNC” as children made cards, painted rocks and delivered gift bags to first responders in Pender County.
Center Road Baptist Church in Bladenboro hosted over 120 shoppers for a community “freesale” event, allowing community members to shop for items for free.
In Winston-Salem, Calvary Baptist Church held a “Stuff the Bus” event as 120 volunteers sorted and packed 750 backpacks to start the new school year.
Cashie Baptist Church in Windsor partnered to “ServeNC” by washing cars, giving away water, praying and sharing the gospel with members of the community. After the event took place on Saturday, the church gave this reflection in a post on social media: “We love the people in our community, but Jesus loves them more.”