For the second year in a row, Oak Ridge Baptist Church cancelled all services on Palm Sunday 2019, sending members and regular attenders out into the community to participate in 28 different service projects across three counties of Delmarva.
Over 950 people made an impact on PEACE 1 Day on Sunday, April 14th. ORBCers cleaned up Ocean City’s boardwalk, beach, and bay; beautified the grounds and gave love and attention to the animals housed at the Worcester County Humane Society, made cards for the residents at John B. Parsons Assisted Living Community, and much, much more.
Pictured above: Peace 1 Day Volunteers at Salisbury Middle School.
It was an amazing day. (You can watch a video recap of the event here). Women Supporting Women Delmarva shared their appreciation on their Facebook page, writing, “THANK YOU to @oakridgebc for dedicating one of their #Peace1Day2019 projects to WSW! This group ranged from 13 to 82 years old and crafted 168 of our Seatbelt Pillows.” The Salisbury Zoo posted a similar thank you message, expressing gratitude for the volunteers who spent their morning cleaning up the park.
ORBC members also took to social media to document the adventure. Gabrielle Carlson Heller wrote, “We built a raised bed garden and seating area at Princess Anne Elementary for students to learn about where food comes from. I love serving with my family and with my church family!” Laurie Riley posted, “Thanks to an awesome team at Village at Mitchell Pond!!” and went on to describe the group’s accomplishments—under the direction of Angela Wagner, a team cleaning up the river filled over twenty construction bags with trash; another group at the same site put on a carnival for Mitchell Pond children, entertaining them with face painting, fun competitions, and cupcakes.
The event's main organizer, Oak Ridge member Heather Jester Smith, posted the following at the end of the day:
"After all you guys have done today, I know you will rest well tonight, with tired arms and legs and a full heart, but I want you to remember Hebrews 6:10: 'God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people...' Well done, Oak Ridge!"
Yet another work site: The Christian Shelter.
The PEACE Plan, however, doesn’t end with PEACE 1 Day. There are actually ongoing opportunities to get involved throughout the year spreading PEACE (an acronym that stands for Promote reconciliation, Equip servant leaders, Assist the poor, Care for the sick, and Educate the next generation). One such opportunity is with PEACE in Action, an initiative led by Bill vonParis and Danny Guzman. Every third Saturday, this group meets at Oak Ridge and then goes out into the community to participate in clean-up and construction projects for deserving individuals in need.
For PEACE 1 Day, this team brought 45 volunteers out to work on Nancy MacDonald’s home. (You can read more about Ms. Nancy and that ongoing project in an older post here). They completed all sorts of projects for Ms. Nancy, a pillar of the Salisbury community who after spending her life teaching and coaching Salisbury youth is now being blessed back in return. PEACE in Action continues to find ways to assist Ms. Nancy, who has been affected by a major stroke. On PEACE 1 Day, the team power-washed Ms. Nancy’s home, repainted, planted flowers, and even built her a custom chair where she can sit on her new deck (also built by the PEACE in Action Team on a recent third Saturday project).
“We definitely have a project going on, and we could definitely use a few more hands!” Danny says, as he hopes to continue blessing Ms. Nancy, and is in need of additional volunteers. To find out more, you can reach Danny at 410-430-5511 or email Bill at peaceplanbill@gmail.com.
Another current opportunity for service exists within Oak Ridge's partnership with H.A.L.O., Salisbury's Hope And Life Outreach, an organization that provides, among other services, three meals a day to Salisbury's homeless population. On Peace 1 Day, ORBC volunteers completed small building repairs, organized the warehouse, and carried out other duties. But there are ongoing needs that require continued involvement. If you are interested in volunteering, H.A.L.O offers volunteer orientation sessions every fourth Sunday, with the next one being held on May 26, 2019. You can learn more by visiting their website.
If you're short on time but still have a heart to give, H.A.L.O. also has several crucial and immediate needs. See the following message circulating social media as of April 30:
According to H.A.L.O.'s website, "We greatly appreciate when groups help us by coordinating donation drives. If you would like to host a drive, click here to download your Donation Drive Packet. For more information on hosting a drive, contact Teresa at tschevel@HALOministry.org."
To stay up to date on all the ways you can be a part of the PEACE Plan, join our Facebook group The PEACE Plan at Oak Ridge; the opportunities are many! Feel free to email peace@orbc.net for more information.
The Village at Mitchell Pond is another Peace 1 Day site that offers ongoing opportunities to impact others' lives. Laurie Riley can be reached to find out more: rileysroost1102@gmail.com.
Over 950 people made an impact on PEACE 1 Day on Sunday, April 14th. ORBCers cleaned up Ocean City’s boardwalk, beach, and bay; beautified the grounds and gave love and attention to the animals housed at the Worcester County Humane Society, made cards for the residents at John B. Parsons Assisted Living Community, and much, much more.
Pictured above: Peace 1 Day Volunteers at Salisbury Middle School.
It was an amazing day. (You can watch a video recap of the event here). Women Supporting Women Delmarva shared their appreciation on their Facebook page, writing, “THANK YOU to @oakridgebc for dedicating one of their #Peace1Day2019 projects to WSW! This group ranged from 13 to 82 years old and crafted 168 of our Seatbelt Pillows.” The Salisbury Zoo posted a similar thank you message, expressing gratitude for the volunteers who spent their morning cleaning up the park.
ORBC members also took to social media to document the adventure. Gabrielle Carlson Heller wrote, “We built a raised bed garden and seating area at Princess Anne Elementary for students to learn about where food comes from. I love serving with my family and with my church family!” Laurie Riley posted, “Thanks to an awesome team at Village at Mitchell Pond!!” and went on to describe the group’s accomplishments—under the direction of Angela Wagner, a team cleaning up the river filled over twenty construction bags with trash; another group at the same site put on a carnival for Mitchell Pond children, entertaining them with face painting, fun competitions, and cupcakes.
The event's main organizer, Oak Ridge member Heather Jester Smith, posted the following at the end of the day:
"After all you guys have done today, I know you will rest well tonight, with tired arms and legs and a full heart, but I want you to remember Hebrews 6:10: 'God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people...' Well done, Oak Ridge!"
Yet another work site: The Christian Shelter.
The PEACE Plan, however, doesn’t end with PEACE 1 Day. There are actually ongoing opportunities to get involved throughout the year spreading PEACE (an acronym that stands for Promote reconciliation, Equip servant leaders, Assist the poor, Care for the sick, and Educate the next generation). One such opportunity is with PEACE in Action, an initiative led by Bill vonParis and Danny Guzman. Every third Saturday, this group meets at Oak Ridge and then goes out into the community to participate in clean-up and construction projects for deserving individuals in need.
For PEACE 1 Day, this team brought 45 volunteers out to work on Nancy MacDonald’s home. (You can read more about Ms. Nancy and that ongoing project in an older post here). They completed all sorts of projects for Ms. Nancy, a pillar of the Salisbury community who after spending her life teaching and coaching Salisbury youth is now being blessed back in return. PEACE in Action continues to find ways to assist Ms. Nancy, who has been affected by a major stroke. On PEACE 1 Day, the team power-washed Ms. Nancy’s home, repainted, planted flowers, and even built her a custom chair where she can sit on her new deck (also built by the PEACE in Action Team on a recent third Saturday project).
“We definitely have a project going on, and we could definitely use a few more hands!” Danny says, as he hopes to continue blessing Ms. Nancy, and is in need of additional volunteers. To find out more, you can reach Danny at 410-430-5511 or email Bill at peaceplanbill@gmail.com.
Another current opportunity for service exists within Oak Ridge's partnership with H.A.L.O., Salisbury's Hope And Life Outreach, an organization that provides, among other services, three meals a day to Salisbury's homeless population. On Peace 1 Day, ORBC volunteers completed small building repairs, organized the warehouse, and carried out other duties. But there are ongoing needs that require continued involvement. If you are interested in volunteering, H.A.L.O offers volunteer orientation sessions every fourth Sunday, with the next one being held on May 26, 2019. You can learn more by visiting their website.
If you're short on time but still have a heart to give, H.A.L.O. also has several crucial and immediate needs. See the following message circulating social media as of April 30:
According to H.A.L.O.'s website, "We greatly appreciate when groups help us by coordinating donation drives. If you would like to host a drive, click here to download your Donation Drive Packet. For more information on hosting a drive, contact Teresa at tschevel@HALOministry.org."
To stay up to date on all the ways you can be a part of the PEACE Plan, join our Facebook group The PEACE Plan at Oak Ridge; the opportunities are many! Feel free to email peace@orbc.net for more information.
The Village at Mitchell Pond is another Peace 1 Day site that offers ongoing opportunities to impact others' lives. Laurie Riley can be reached to find out more: rileysroost1102@gmail.com.
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