by Pastor P, Valley Alliance Church, Ansonia, Pennsylvania
She stepped out of the changing room with joy beaming from her face. For many, it would have been just another hand-me-down pair of jeans. For her, it was the only jeans she could afford, and they fit perfectly. Because of the love and generosity of the women at Valley Alliance Church, she was putting on more than a pair of pants; she was putting on dignity.
Every third Saturday of the month, the Alliance women in the tiny township of Ansonia, Pennsylvania, open the doors of their church building to the community and give out clothes. It started as a simple coat giveaway (putting into practice the words of 1 John 3:16–18 and James 2:15–16) to keep people warm during the cold winters of northern Pennsylvania. But like so many other ministries, what started small blossomed into something much bigger.
Warm Friendship
Today the ladies are downstairs poring over the donations, making sure everything is clean and in its right place. With great care they fold, fellowship, and pray for the families that will come on Saturday. Every Thursday they lovingly prepare so that one Saturday a month they can give their guests the dignity of Christ’s love.
When the doors open, a diverse blend of regulars and new patrons arrive at the giveaway. For some, it is the only place they can find good clothing for interviews, jobs, or Sunday mornings. For others, it is a way to find their feet after a huge life change, such as losing everything in a fire or experiencing an unexpected pregnancy. For the regulars, it is a time to find warm friendships and freshly baked goods.
The women practice Valley Alliance Church’s vision statement with everyone who comes through the door. The declaration says, “We are the family of God, who makes disciples of Jesus Christ, one family at a time.” The women treat every person who comes in with the love and dignity of a family. These guests regularly receive prayer and care for their bodies and souls.
Overflowing Generosity
One young mother, who recently moved to the area, was nervous about entering a church building. Her hair flashed colors of purple with pink highlights, and tattoos covered her arms. She braced herself for criticisms about her appearance. But the women of Valley did not see her arms; they saw her heart and loved her. Once again another person found dignity.
Often at Christmastime, we ask families in the community if they have specific needs. And the church’s generosity overflows again. Some people, who can hardly afford candy canes, receive new clothes and toys paid for by the generosity of Valley Alliance Church. Now people who had nothing to give to their children have presents to put under the tree.
When you hear stories like these, you may think that this church is large and affluent. It is not. It is a small congregation, just under 30 members. The church’s size is found in its love and generosity. (As their pastor, I have yet to find a more generous congregation.)
Every year we give like an Acts 1:8 church. We give to the community around us through ministries like the clothing drive, men’s work night, and through an extremely active benevolent fund (our Jerusalem). We pray regularly for the church-planting efforts around the Eastern Pennsylvania District (Judea). We give to missions around the world. We give to the Great Commission Fund—most years over 11 percent of our general budget (uttermost parts). Regularly, Valley Alliance gives, in total, more than 20 percent of its regular budget to help those outside of the congregation, both locally and globally.
This year, in our desire to see Christ Jesus brought to the world, Valley Alliance Church will send my wife, our two children, and me to minister as Alliance international workers. This congregation’s generosity will bring the good news of Jesus to the least-reached peoples of western Africa.
This congregation’s kindness will continue. The doors will open every third Saturday. As people pour in, they will continue to find something more than clothing. They will find a small group of women who are ready with hearts open, ready to pray, and ready with some of the best homemade baked goods this side of the Mississippi. All of this is done not just to hand out clothes but to help people find their dignity in the family of Jesus Christ.