ABHMS grant results in ‘loads of love’ for men’s shelter

ABHMS’ Dr. Jeffrey Johnson presents a grant check to Elizabeth Baptist Church, Bancroft, W.Va.

It’s been said that every ministry should lead to another ministry. And in the case of Elizabeth Baptist Church, Bancroft, W.Va., it did.

In late 2019, American Baptist Home Mission Societies (ABHMS) provided a grant to the church so that the church could help meet community needs. The church responded by delivering 120 pounds of laundry detergent to Union Mission Men’s Shelter, which offers an addiction recovery program; food, clothing and counseling to families in 17 West Virginia counties; a thrift store; a sustainable agriculture program; and a vocational-advancement program.

While most of us take clean clothes for granted, they can make a huge difference in the lives of individuals living in a shelter. Clean clothes typically bring confidence to an individual, changing a person’s demeanor, said Jason Quintrell, the mission’s president and CEO. The men, he said, become more receptive to talking about their situation.

“The church went beyond its Jerusalem—the Elizabeth community—and reached out to its Judea—the capitol city of Charleston some couple hours away—and provided for the Union Mission’s shelter program in what I am dubbing ‘Loads of Love,’” says Dr. Jeffrey Johnson, ABHMS national coordinator, Evangelism & Discipleship. “Our grant empowered the church to reach out to their community. The Holy Spirit empowered them to do more, go further and give because they had received. And ABHMS played a part in all of this by being the ones who first gave to the church so they could give to others. Way to go ABHMS—true partners in ministry!”