For eight weeks this fall the congregation studied Schlaepfer’s book Richer Life, which analyzes several biblical passages about how generosity and gratitude lead to a richer life experience. As part of the study, members were urged to find “generosity projects” in the community.
Among the achievements announced this week: Church members collected over 900 pairs of socks and hundreds of shoes for the homeless; over 2,300 pajamas for children and youth in local homeless shelters or emergency foster care; cleaned windows, painted curbs, repaired buildings, installed gutters at some local public schools; repaired fences at Monterey Bay Therapeutic Horsemanship Center; gave over $50,000 in immediate fire and flood relief to Santa Rosa and Houston area churches; and provided turkeys and decorations for the Marina Veteran’s Transition Center Thanksgiving meal.
“Lots of people also did what we call micro-projects,” explained staff pastor Valerie Webb. “They found elderly widows, senior citizens, other struggling neighbors, and did yard work and home repairs for them.”
The church also raised nearly $7 million in pledges for the food bank, mission work, and for the construction of a college ministry center on church property adjacent to Cabrillo College. “We plan for the center to include a beautiful public space for students to relax, grab a cup of coffee, and study between classes,” said Schlaepfer.
“Really the point of this eight-week series was that we believe God gives to us without any strings attached, so we want to show no-strings-attached generosity to our community,” said Schlaepfer. “Right now in our country there’s so much fear and divisiveness, so we want to be an antidote to that. And the congregation stepped up. It was an avalanche of giving.”