Purcellville Church of Christ
MINISTRIES
The Bible tells us that Christians are to “do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith” (Galatians 6:10). Following is a description of some of the ministries supported by the congregation.
HELPING HANDS MINISTRY
Jesus taught His disciples that helping those in need is a fundamental obligation of Christians (Matthew 25:31-ff). The Purcellville Church of Christ takes that responsibility seriously. One means of meeting it is our “Helping Hands Ministry,” which is designed to provide aid to those in and around Purcellville who need help in ways which they may not be able to obtain otherwise. We cannot meet every request, but we can meet some, and we endeavor to help as many as possible using our available resources.
Our assistance is intended for anyone in need of help, but especially for those with physical limitations, single parents, the aged, and others who are disadvantaged in some way. Examples of the kinds of help that we can give include:
- Mowing a lawn
- Light yard work
- Picking up a prescription
- Picking up groceries
- Shoveling snow off sidewalk
- Providing a meal to a family in need
The church offers these services on a no-cost, no-obligation basis. The church does not need, expect or ask for any financial assistance or contributions whatsoever from those outside of its membership. Our reward for any good works we do is in Heaven!
To get started, simply fill out the Contact Us form with your specific request, and we will get back to you, normally within 24 hours, to let you know whether it can be met and if so, when.
THE MANNA PROJECT
The Manna Project is a very unusual and successful missionary effort which takes the gospel, preacher student training, plus agricultural resources and training methods, to the poor in East Africa. Unlike many missionary efforts which rely on ongoing donations of food, clothing and other needs, the Manna Project instead teaches the locals in the region how to grow vegetables, livestock and row crops using modern equipment and farming methods. Gage Coldwater is the director of the Manna Project and he and other Christians have established these works in Uganda, Tanzania, Cameroon and elsewhere. Preacher schools are sited near the small farms, and the students operate them, which provide food for themselves and to sell to others, while they are learning to become evangelists. It is an ingenious, sustainable approach to evangelism and the best form of benevolence, as it teaches men and women to become self-sufficient through Providence. These efforts are resulting in many conversions to New Testament Christianity, while giving those affected the ability to significantly improve their living conditions and health. It is a wonderful work which is sponsored by the Wewoka, OK church of Christ. The Purcellville congregation is pleased to have a role in financially supporting the Manna Project.
MISSIONARY IN THE PHILIPPINES
For several years, the church has helped provide support to brother Jozel Aguilar, who lives with his family in General Santos City, the Philippines. Jozel is a native Filipino, an active evangelist, and has a formal education in Bible. Early in his ministry, he worked several years with a congregation in Manila and more recently, he has been instrumental in establishing several churches of Christ elsewhere in the country, including in General Santos City, and Cebu City. Brother Aguilar has a radio program based in Cebu City that is heard throughout the country and in Southeast Asia. He is making use of Facebook, also, which hundreds of viewers use to watch his sermons each Sunday.
MISSIONARY IN GHANA
The church is providing partial support to brother Edmund Sarpong and his wife, Chrisitiana, natives of Ghana. Edmund completed formal Bible training in Colorado in May 2020 and is providing teaching, training, edification, encouragement and Christian counseling services to churches in Tema, Accra, Takoradi and Kumasi, Ghana. This work is overseen by the Southwest Church of Christ in Pueblo, CO with financial contributions from this congregation.
FOOD PANTRY
The church maintains a pantry for the needy living in and around Purcellville. It is stocked by free-will offerings from member families and individuals to provide emergency food supplies to our neighbors, in keeping with our Lord’s example of feeding the hungry. Other types of assistance, such as helping the elderly with tasks around the house which they are unable to perform, are also available on request.
The first step in receiving groceries from the pantry is to complete an application form. The form will be reviewed and the party requesting help will be contacted thereafter by a member of the church.
Boxed food will be picked up at the church’s facility, which is located at 604 Yaxley Drive in Purcellville, unless other arrangements are made in advance. For further information, contact us at info@purcellvillecoc.org.
ADOPT-A-HIGHWAY PROGRAM AND KEEP LOUDOUN BEAUTIFUL
As a way of demonstrating our civic responsibility to the community, the church is a participant in the Virginia Adopt-A-Highway program and picks up litter on a portion of Rt. 287 (the Berlin Turnpike) north of the roundabout in Purcellville several times a year. The church also participates in the annual Keep Loudoun Beautiful Purcellville Trash Cleanup by picking up trash and litter along the Southern Collector Road each April.