PHILADELPHIA – Ben Franklin Parkway, lined with flags of countries from across the globe, is known for being a colorful and dramatic gateway to the cultural center of Philadelphia which includes the Barnes Museum, Philadelphia Art Museum and Franklin Institute. The Parkway is also the location of the popular national concert series Made in America. But if visitors slow down and take a good look, beneath those waving flags can be found a seemingly invisible homeless population living in a parallel universe along the parkway and in nearby Aviator Park . Although, invisible to most, this community has long been on Watershed Church’s radar.
Four times per year, Pastor Eric McMahon and Watershed Church skip church and hit the streets “to live and love the way Jesus did. We do not gather on Sunday to sing or listen to preaching. Instead we leave the building and serve our community,” McMahon wrote in a Facebook post.
Three teams fanned out from this Roxborough church on a recent Sunday.
The locations, including Aviator Park, were not chosen haphazardly. They are a result of McMahon encouraging his members to pray about how and where God would have them to serve around the city. Watershed members prayer walk and minister on their own at various locations including Aviator Park, Kensington, Strawberry Mansion, Roxborough and Allegheny West on a weekly basis.
Two teams took food, toiletries and hand warmers to Aviator Park. The struggling community of Kensington, which has been ravaged by the heroin epidemic, was also visited and received these same items.
A third team beautified AMY Northwest Middle School by cleaning up debris and leaves. Watershed previously held services at the school and has since adopted it to maintain an ongoing relationship.
“These are the places that they felt the spirit leading them and where they have seen God at work, so we just came alongside of them to support what God is already doing in their lives,” says McMahon.
Just southwest of Philadelphia, Pastor Chuck Kieffer and The Foundry food outreach center provides groceries to families, seniors, college students and children in need in southeast Delaware County.
Last summer, the church was approached by SRS Swarthmore Elementary School, expressing an interest in collecting groceries on behalf of The Foundry. “They have blessed us with grocery donations to provide for us to better serve the needs of children through our Chester Kids Drop. SRS has helped us love our community louder,” says Kieffer.
Although 2020 had its own unique set of challenges, the one word Kieffer would use to best describe the year is abundance. The pantry never ran out of food while feeding some 7500+ people during the year. The food giveaway provided increased opportunities to pray with people and share the Gospel.
The pandemic has made available a tremendous increase in community groups and individuals contacting The Foundry to assist them in feeding the hungry. The ministry has also gained additional volunteers to assist with donation pick-ups and distribution. The new partners have enabled The Foundry to take a deeper dive into the surrounding community.
The Foundry Church food outreach center operates through LifeWerks Inc., a 501c3 nonprofit whose mission is ‘to restore dignity lost and instill hope in the lives of people’. Feed America named The Foundry a Choice Pantry as a part of the Healthy Pantry Initiative. Lifewerks also mentors young people in the art of paying forward by structured experiences in serving the world. You can follow the mission of Lifewerks by subscribing at www.Lifewerks.org.
There are 14 million people in PA/SJ who do not have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. How is your church loving the community?
