Quilting blankets and quilting bees have been around for centuries; groups of women gathered in community to work together in making beautiful quilts.

During Vacation Bible School in June, we had our own quilting bee one day in our Missions track. Our young people made felt blankets for children in our community who were not in their own homes for a variety of reasons: maybe they were in foster care, in the hospital, in temporary housing, or just in need of love.

The children sat together and tied knots into the blankets and talked about sharing them. The next day James, one of the children who had helped to work on the blankets, asked me if I knew that he was in temporary housing. I told him “no.” James then asked me, “Do you think I could have one of those blankets?” I promised him that he could and he showed me which one was his favorite.

After James left the room, I thought about how often our church gives resources and energy toward mission efforts and projects for people we never meet. But here, James and I were serving and participating right alongside of one another.

It makes me think about what our mission efforts at First Baptist – in particular our vision for a new downtown ministry space – can be. What would it be like if we were all in the room together? What would it look like if all of us were invited into the space and work of Jesus?

– By Kim Priddy

For more information on our process of Downtown Discernment, click here.