That was the question I posed to volunteers from Christ Church Of Arlington, as they began their day of service at the food pantry last month. They had volunteered to help serve our neighbors who needed some help providing food for their family. Christ Church had collected food for them to distribute that day, and I wanted these kind-hearted volunteers to leave with something as well.

And so an hour before the pantry opened to our guests at 11:00 am, before any guests were waiting in line, we walked to the railing outside the entrance to the pantry. I pointed to the bags tied there, and asked the volunteers if they knew what they meant. “Bags for people to use to get food?” “Yes,” I said, “but we didn’t put them there.”

“Where are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?”

That was the question the ABB Board and Staff were asking ourselves a few weeks ago, when we heard the news that Amazon Fresh was closing all their stores. For over a year, Amazon Fresh has been a very generous source of surplus produce, meat, and staples, providing half of the donated food we offer at the pantry. And so we immediately asked the same question Jesus' disciples asked, when a crowd of over 5,000 people in a desolate place were starting to get hungry: “Where are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?” (John 6:5). 

Ever feel overwhelmed by the needs of people around you—whether your family, friends, or total strangers?

Of course you do. We all do. You’re someone with both empathy and limitations.

But instead of gutting it out or looking away, Jesus calls us to embrace our weakness so that we can truly serve others. In this series of reflections on Arlington Bridge Builders' core values, we look at Faithful Dependence. Thank you for being part of a community that seeks flourishing in ourselves and others, by learning to cling to Jesus.

As part of the ABB family, you’re not just giving people food or teaching them English. Instead, you’re helping neighbors in need develop meaningful relationships—absolutely crucial to flourishing. Long before a problem is resolved, Marlen, our Care Coordinator, takes time to listen, weep and pray with those we serve. And when possible, provide practical help. Here’s one such story, in Marlen's words:

While a woman stood in line to receive food, I approached her to talk. Her face said more than a thousand words could: worry, exhaustion . . . restrained sadness.

With just a few words, I knew Ms. “E” needed to vent. We walked to a private room where she opened her heart to me: she suffers from lupus, and two years ago she received a kidney transplant. She lives with her son Michael, a teenager who has lost interest in school, and whose staying in the apartment depends on either studying or earning at least $300 a week.

Arlington Bridge Builders coordinates several ministries, but we're not here just to give people food or teach them English. Instead, we want to develop meaningful relationships. Beginning with this newsletter, we'll share a brief personal story--often without resolution--from Marlen, our Care Coordinator, who takes time to listen, weep and pray with those we serve. And when possible, provide practical help. In Marlen's words:

Mrs. "Rita" has turned this place (Mission Nova) into a personal refuge, a place she comes to at least three times a week in search of support. Through our conversations, she has shared the many challenges she faces with her children: her oldest son, raised in a Christian environment, drifted away after falling into bad company; her daughter, who is the family’s main source of income, struggles with vision problems; and her youngest son, "Esteban," was recently diagnosed with a debilitating disease.

20 years ago, Christ Church of Arlington started the Arlington Turkey Trot as a practical way to serve their neighbors and raise money for local charities. Since then, it’s become a holiday tradition that thousands of people look forward to, raising over $250,000 for nonprofits who share our desire to seek the flourishing of the community. But the Trot’s growth and scope led Christ Church to ask Arlington Bridge Builders to consider hosting the event.

And we said yes. Link below to learn why.

Arlington is one of the most ethnically rich areas in the country, with over 100 languages spoken in the nation’s smallest county. And so it’s quite common to connect with neighbors with vastly different experiences and perspectives. How should we respond to the increasing ethnic diversity surrounding us? Of the competing voices in our culture today, who will we listen to? This post continues our series on Arlington Bridge Builders’ five areas of Community Service.

In this series of reflections on Arlington Bridge Builders, I look at our second core value of “Humble Influence.” In his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus calls his followers to be “salt” and “light” as they seek to serve and change the world. The most powerful example of humble influence I’ve ever witnessed took place a few days after a devastating earthquake in Iran.

Poverty Alleviation is a key focus of our community service efforts, as it was in Bible times. In fact, God designed a social safety net to provide for those who could not afford to buy food. Read more about how our food pantry is a modern application of God’s ancient commands, and how you’re making improvements at the pantry and how you can “remember the poor” by serving.

All organizations have values that shape their work. Not the nice-sounding platitudes that are quickly created in a conference room, hung on a plaque in the hallway and just as quickly forgotten. But the real ones, that actually animate everything you do. Things you’d bang the table for if they weren’t happening. Things you’d consider resigning over if not being pursued. Our network of churches believes true flourishing happens when our lives are most aligned with God’s design for us. Thus, our values are drawn from Jesus’ description of life in his kingdom, most famously summarized in his Sermon on the Mount. This post features the first of our five values, Holistic Concern.

When your life or your community is in need of repair, where will you go?

The foundational verse for Arlington Bridge Builders tells us to “pray to the Lord on behalf of the city where God sent us” (Jeremiah 29:7). But what does that even mean, other than a vague, “God, please bless Arlington”?