Honoring Single Moms

by Monica Angeles, Pittsburg, Kansas

This year we really felt that God was asking us to take the next step in our outreach with Car Care, that he was going to open up a door and take it to a whole new level. We did two things differently. First instead of just trying to make casual conversation with the ladies, we pointedly asked every one of them if there was anything we could pray for them about. Most every lady was very receptive to this and there was a sense of connection with them.

Second, we asked each of them if they would like to be on our mailing list so we can let them know when we hold events at the church. Again, every lady was open to this and gave us their mailing address. Since June, we have been able to send them invitations to the Coat Drive, the opening of the Storehouse, and the Single Mom’s Appreciation Dinner.

Around May, I went to the grocery store and ran into Obi. As we were standing in the parking lot, he began to share with me his idea to have a nice dinner to bless single moms. A nice meal, on real plates, in a nice atmosphere, with their children being taken care of. Immediately I agreed that this would be a wonderful blessing and the wheels got turning. It wasn’t until after Car Care  that we knew that if we were going to have the dinner this year, we better get it on the calender. We mailed out invites to all the mothers on our list, gave out invitations on Saturday at the Storehouse and had the church give them to ladies they knew.

The night of the event, the mothers came into a sanctuary that had been turned into a fine dining establishment. Greeted by hostess’ that escorted them to childcare to drop of their children and then to their table, a waitstaff dressed in black and white ready to assist them, tables decorated with real linen and table settings. We wanted to show them that they were deserving of our best in the smallest to the greatest thing we did that evening. To break the ice and make them feel comfortable we started the evening with some funny child rearing stories told by our in house comedian, Micah Parsons. Dennis Jamison played the guitar throughout the evening and sang a song he wrote entitled “First Woman.”

As the four-course meal was being served, one of our single moms, Jessica Tinsley, spoke about different areas in her life that people in the church have come alongside her and supported her in, how the church has become a family for both her and her son, and how she is tremendously grateful. After Jessica, I gave a personal testimony, gave special honor to the grandmothers attending, and encouraged them all to believe that God treasures them, loves them deeply and desires a relationship with them. We finished the evening playing a ten minute video about the love of God for us as they ate their dessert.

You could feel the presence of God through out the entire evening. Everybody from childcare staff, to kitchen crew, to the waitstaff served with excellence. Days later, I was still walking around with a smile on my face, feeling so blessed for being a part of the church and having the opportunity to play a part in what God is doing.