BIRDSBORO >> When you want to make a change, sometimes the first and most important step is starting locally.
That’s exactly why Mission Trip Birdsboro, now in its fourth year, is gearing up once again to take on tasks that will help improve important parts of the community.
“Mission Trip Birdsboro volunteers allow others to see faith practiced through works,” the group said about their work. “And in doing so volunteers feel rewarded with a rich spiritual experience, with the joy of fellowship, laughter and hard work. New friendships are built both within and outside of the church community.”
This year, the group has garnered 90 volunteers, 65 of whom are site-workers, from six different area churches to provide help for home owners in need, for public parks and schools and for local non-profit organizations. The volunteers assist with making repairs and maintenance to homes by doing jobs such as painting and yard work.
The mission began in 2014 when St. Paul’s UCC started the idea to offer aid within the local community. Four homes of elderly or disabled residents who needed help, two borough parks and the Birdsboro Elementary Center received work from the 19 site-work volunteers that year. As the number of applications for assistance has grown, so has the number of volunteers from local churches grown to meet that need. What started out at only seven works sites has since grown into 21 homes and five community projects.
Mission Trip Birdsboro will begin working on July 18 and continue through July 23. The churches participating in this year’s mission are St. Paul’s UCC in Birdsboro, St. John-Hill in Boyertown, Alice Focht UMC in Birdsboro, St. Paul’s UCC in Amityville, Church of Nazarene in Birdsboro and St. Paul’s Lutheran in Douglassville.
Many local businesses and individuals have also stepped in to offer financial support for the work being done. Among the two dozen backers of Mission Trip Birdsboro are top sponsors J.P. Mascaro & Sons, A.J. Blosenski Inc., Robert C. Baer & Sons Inc., Birdsboro Beverage Co., American Legion Post 626, Amity Township Lions Club and the Women’s Club of Birdsboro.
The kick-off meeting for volunteers will be Sunday the July 16 at the Masonic Lodge next door to St. Paul’s UCC, Birdsboro, on Washington Street. Brunch will be served from 11 to 11:30 a.m. with presentations from leadership teams from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
“It’s about serving the community and those who need help,” the group said. “It’s about the great satisfaction that comes from having a higher purpose and doing what’s right. It’s about attaining a meaningful direction that is often lacking in the daily grind from paycheck to paycheck or from the mundane tasks we face. But most importantly, as a church based program it’s about the opportunity for Christians to live out their faith and strive to openly follow Christ’s example of service to others and to love not in word or speech, but in truth and action.”
For more information on Mission Trip Birdsboro, visit stpaulsbirdsboro.org/mission-trip-birdsboro.
