News - WIS Channel 10Pastor sparks spontaneous shoe giveaway for charity CHAPIN, SC (WIS) - Hundreds of people in Chapin are helping others survive in '09, donating shoes to a local homeless shelter. The congregation took the phrase 'give someone the shirt off your back' literally. Dress shoes, tennis shoes, sandals, flip flops, boots. Shoes of all shapes, all sizes and from all walks of life. It's the result of a challenge from a pastor. "Not someday, but today. We're going to do something right now to conclude this service that is a today action," says Pastor Jody Flowers. Flowers encouraged the congregation in Sunday's sermon to take action that would affect their community. The mission was to provide shoes to the Oliver Gospel Mission in Columbia. But rather than walk away from church with a plan to do it later in the week, he encouraged them to do it right at that moment. The staff supported the challenge. "Someday, I'm going to do this. Someday. And talking about that someday today, that you go ahead and do it right now. There's nothing stopping us doing it right now," says Pastor Paul Allen. And then Pastor Flowers took off his own shoes and laid them at the alter. "To really capture the opportunities of doing things now and not putting them off and doing things that truly are meaningful and touch people's lives," says Allen. Then one by one, members of the congregation walked up to the alter, took off their shoes and gently set them down, knowing someone in need would later put them on. Choir members walked out of the loft and gave away their shoes. Even a three-year-old girl wanted to give up her dress shoes when she saw her mommy was barefoot. It's important to note the church members were not told ahead of time the shoe drive would happen, so it's not like anyone could purposely wear their "throwaway" shoes. Rather, they gave up their Sunday best. "Yesterday, we took it to a new level of not what can we do this week, but what can we do right now, immediately," says Allen. Even on Monday, members returned to lay even more shoes at the alter. Before the nearly 600 pairs of shoes are put into boxes, they'll first be prayed over. "We will thank God that we have them. That they will be utilized for His children, for his people and we will ask blessings for those who gave them and those who receive them," says Allen. Having enough shoes to give to the homeless is one of the top five needs at the Oliver Gospel Mission. Now they'll be set for a while. The motivation behind the challenge coincides with a series the church is focusing on right now called "One Month to Live," based on the book. Reported by Dawndy Mercer Plank |
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