Harborcreek Community Church on mission with a women’s care center

Harborcreek is demonstrating the love of Christ by meeting people at their point of need.

June 3, 2021
LaVeta Jones

Showing the love of Jesus to a community can take many forms. For some churches it may be operating a weekly food pantry. For others it may be serving first responders. Some ministry may be up close and personal to those on the receiving end. But for others, because of the confidential nature of a particular ministry, support may take the form of financial donations.

This is the case with Pastor Jim Hodges and Harborcreek Community Church and their support of the Women’s Care Center of Erie County, Inc., for the past three years.

The Women’s Care Center serves the Erie community as well as western NY and northeastern Ohio and has been doing so since 1982. Their website’s stated mission is “to provide an affordable safe place of comfort, support and health to individuals facing unplanned pregnancies, youth making lifestyle choices, wounded women in need of healing from past mistakes and childless couples whose arms ache for a child.”

This mission resonated with Hodges before he began pastoring at Harborcreek. While on staff as associate pastor at Millcreek for thirteen years, he had an opportunity to befriend the CEO of WCC, Brenda Newport. Hodges “personally embraced their mission of saving the unborn from abortion.” It was a natural transition for Harborcreek Community Church to support the organization once he became pastor.

Harborcreek makes efforts to support WCC’s periodic fundraising projects, including making a planned donation to its upcoming golf charity event.

Hodges’s relationship with WCC acts as a bridge of blessing in other meaningful ways. “Two years ago I referred a young couple from our congregation who were interested in possible adoption. After going through the WCC adoption qualification process, this couple adopted a newborn who is now two years old,” said Hodges.

Harborcreek is demonstrating the love of Christ by meeting people at their point of need. That is what it’s all about. #LovePASJ2021

LaVeta Jones

LaVeta Jones is a community outreach event coordinator, freelance media producer and communication consultant. She has coordinated events with the school district of Philadelphia and elected officials. She also works extensively with the faith-based community and the Philadelphia Police Department and has taught community policing workshops and presented for department press conferences. LaVeta, who earned a bachelor of arts in film and media arts at Temple University, graduated Summa Cum Laude and served as class valedictorian, began working for BRN in 2007, where she has assisted in telling the stories of our BRN churches.