33rd Women’s Convention/Crusade working to provide necessities for those in need

Arthur Foulkes
The Tribune-Star
August 5, 2010


TERRE HAUTE — Despite scorching heat, members of the Church of God in Christ gathered in Fairbanks Park on Wednesday to lend help to local families.

Working with Terre Haute-based social service organizations, dozens of members of the worldwide Pentecostal church provided school supplies, clothing, food and other items to people in need.

“We felt led to do a giveaway,” said Darlene Bartlett-Stone, supervisor of women for the 33rd Women’s Convention/Crusade of the Indiana First Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction of the Church of God in Christ.

The convention is taking place all this week at Saints Home Church of God in Christ at 2210 N. 13th St. in Terre Haute. Up to 200 members of the church from around the state are in town for the event, Bartlett-Stone said.

At Wednesday’s outreach event, dozens of young women with their young children looked over the new and slightly used items in and around one of the picnic shelters on the edge of the Wabash River at Fairbanks Park. Many took away bags of clothing, food, shoes and school supplies, including backpacks.

At the same time, church volunteers provided free meals of hot dogs, hamburgers, chips, desserts and drinks.

“It’s the continuing work of Christ,” said Virginia Kersey, director of public relations for the Women’s Convention/Crusade, which will wrap up tonight with an address from local bishop Mark H. Blade at the church.

The public is welcome to attend the church service, which begins at about 7:45 p.m., Bartlett-Stone said. “Whosoever will, let them come,” she said. “All are invited.”

Volunteers from the local Saints Home Church of God in Christ have worked for months preparing for the local outreach effort, said Cedric Blade, a local church member who was one of two volunteers grilling hamburgers and hot dogs Wednesday at Fairbanks Park. It has been a lot of work for the members, “but it’s worth it,” he said.

The Saints Home Church of God in Christ outreach effort Wednesday was done in cooperation with several local social service organizations, including the Conners Center, a shelter for women and children operated by the Light House Mission, Crossroad Connections, a safe house for teen girls and Club Soda, an addiction recovery club in Terre Haute.

Any leftover items after the giveaway will be donated to the Light House Mission, said Bartlett-Stone, who is from Indianapolis. “There are truckloads and we don’t want to take anything back,” said Steven Stone, her husband.

In 2007, the First Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction of Indiana Church of God in Christ conducted a similar giveaway at Terre Haute’s Thompson Park. At that time, more than 300 people received free food, clothing and other items.

“The people [of Terre Haute] have been so kind,” as preparations for the outreach activity got under way, Bartlett-Stone said. Walmart and Logan’s Ribeye made donations and the Terre Haute Fire Department provided small fire hats and bracelets for the children and even sprayed water for the kids to run through at the park, she added.

The First Jurisdiction of the Church of God in Christ includes about 70 churches in Indiana. The 102-year-old church, with headquarters in Memphis, Tenn., has an estimated 6 million members worldwide, Bishop Blade said.

Conducting a giveaway is important, but “our main focus is souls for Christ,” Bartlett-Stone said. The goal is to help people — no matter what their circumstances — find hope, she said.

“We want to reach people,” Bartlett-Stone said. “We are ambassadors for Christ.”

Arthur Foulkes can be reached at (812) 231-4232 or arthur.foulkes@tribstar.com.


Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter— when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood? Isaiah 58:7 NIV