Elba Church of Christ Continues to Serve
The Elba Church of Christ has a great impact on the members of its community. From worship services every Sunday to providing food for those in need, this Elba church is a great place to get involved.
Every Monday and Thursday, the church hosts food banks. Approximately 100 meals are served each week at the church dining center. Adults from across the community enjoy talking as children eat and play. The church also helps those who need help paying utility or hotel bills.
“I want us to be the community’s church,” Elba Church of Christ pastor Philip Box said. “I want to be the pastor of a church that, if someone is in need of help, we’re there. It’s not just about the Elba Church of Christ. It is about the city of Elba and the people in it.”
I visited a service at this church on Sunday, July 8. I grew up a Roman Catholic. I had never been to any other type of service before. I attended the 10 a.m. service and did not quite know what to expect. I had heard from friends what a service was like at a Church of Christ, but I was not prepared for what it truly was like.
I was immediately greeted by an usher who met me as I walked in. He handed me a prayer sheet with many passages from the Bible that would add to the theme of the gathering.
I sat down and was greeted by people sitting around me. I recognized many members of the community who I have met this summer.
The service itself was nothing short of wonderful. The choir sang hymns about loving others like we love ourselves. Another hymn was “When We All Get to Heaven,” and it seemed everyone in the church knew it without having to read the lyrics.
The church grew loud with cheerful singing. The sermon given by Box was about establishing and beginning to grow our roots of faith. It also was about letting our light shine in service of ourselves and others.
The sermon was, in a way, extremely fitting to the way he has helped make his church a difference maker in Elba. Box said, “A city or a tower built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do we light a lamp and put it under something to hide it. Instead, we put it on a stand and give light to everyone in the house.”
Pastor Box is one of the first members of the community I met when I arrived for my summer in Elba. He is one of the many “do it all” people in this town. Not only is he the pastor at Elba Church of Christ, but he is also on the Restoration 154 board and previously served as the Chief Deputy Coroner for Coffee County.
The Elba Church of Christ is always looking to help those in need, especially around the holidays. The church hands out at least 200 Thanksgiving meals. The church also holds Wednesday night programs, where people come to learn more about their faith while also enjoying a nice meal.
It is clear that the Elba Church of Christ, along with many other churches and religious groups in the area, care about their home. My attendance of the Sunday morning service left me inspired by the love and passion these people have for one another.
Box told the Sunday crowd that we all have our own special gifts, but these gifts will not serve us if we, as community members and people of love, do not serve others. He summed it up saying, “Our goal should be changing our world for the better. Let your light shine before others.”
Tags: Elba
