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Archive - Article 11
Operation Compassion Feeds the Poor in Mobile, Alabama
5/23/01
Mobile, Alabama, was founded in 1703 on Mobile River, 27 miles
north of the present site. The river often flooded the little town,
so the local Indians told the settlers that if they would move to
the mouth of the river, floods would not come. Since 1711, Mobile,
one of the oldest cities of the South, has sat at the mouth of the
river on Mobile Bay and has been a major seaport and an important
shipbuilding city with a colorful past.
The Church of God has also had an illustrious history in Mobile.
Beginning in 1934, in a garage in the Mobile suburb of Crichton,
the church spread throughout south Alabama over the years. Today,
many regard it as the strongest Pentecostal movement in the southern
part of the state.
The Pathway Ministries congregation is one of many local churches
that developed from the little garage on May Street in Crichton.
Located seven miles west of Crichton, Pathway is a thriving congregation
with a burden to serve the people of the area, particularly the
poor.
Two days before Christmas 2000, Pathway Ministries gave away 500
fifty-pound boxes of food, 500 turkeys and 17,000 toys. Members
of the congregation were deeply moved as they saw the needy of Mobile
line up in front of the church two and three abreast for 250 feet
in subfreezing weather to receive food and toys. They were glad
they had planned well for the momentous occasion.
Calling the event “Merry Christmas Mobile 2000,” Pastor
Toby S. Morgan and his efficient wife, Diane, were the driving force
in planning and promoting the day. Five months before Christmas,
Pastor Morgan began to emphasize the Christlikeness of helping the
poor. Sister Morgan organized committees and met with individuals
to discuss ways of making the food and toy giveaway successful.
They contacted Operation Compassion, directed by David Lorency,
to supply food and toys. They received an 18-wheel truckload of
supplies for which they paid only $4,000 to cover the cost of shipping.
Operation Compassion is part of Care Ministries of the Church of
God and supplies tons of food, clothing, medicine and building supplies
each year to distressed and disaster areas around the world.
As “Merry Christmas Mobile 2000” approached, Pastor
Morgan challenged the Pathway Ministries congregation to reach out
to hurting people about Operation Compassion. Following his sermon,
he asked committee chairmen to come forward and for all who wanted
to work with a particular committee to stand with the chairperson.
Over 200 volunteers came forward! The entire congregation was exuberant
about the upcoming day.
Not only did the hungry and needy come for food, several people
returned the next day, Christmas Eve, and came forward at the invitation
to accept Christ. What a tremendous reward for doing the Master’s
work!
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