Bus Tours
Sunday I had the joy of taking the StoneBridge ministry partners bus tour, and I was struck by how limited my grasp was of our involvement in the community before this outing. What an enlightening experience it was! I cannot encourage our congregation enough to take advantage of this opportunity.
Nine of us boarded the bus with Brent and we settled into our seats as he explained the 11 stops we would make in the next 90 minutes, all outlined on a card for us. Brent’s enthusiasm and vast knowledge of our area, and its ministries, as well as his relationships with countless city officials and volunteers, opened my eyes to the numerous ways God is using StoneBridge to make an impact. God has uniquely gifted Brent for discovering and paving the way for us to be placed for a purpose.
We began the tour at Hope Church Food Pantry, continuing on a meandering drive taking us by Camino Ministries, different apartment complexes (take the tour to find out their significance), the Hidden Valley neighborhood, the Baymont Hotel (Heal Charlotte headquarters) and various other food pantries and churches that provide tutoring and after-school care.
StoneBridge, these ministry partners are in need and so very grateful for the smallest donation of time or resources. I was encouraged to see raised garden beds built by a Life Group, to hear of medical needs being filled voluntarily by StoneBridge doctors, and to hear of our members caring for a family that lost everything in a fire. So many opportunities are available and posted on the website, so if you have an hour to spare, fill a need!
Some other facts I learned:
Many builders in the area want to donate work/supplies to build shelter for the homeless, but the cost is so high in finding land. A new trend is for churches to donate part of their property for contractors to build on to make it affordable. We saw condos going up right on church grounds!
<1% of properties in Charlotte rent for less than $1000/month
<5% of apartment dwellers go to church
Greg Jackson takes the new cadets for CMPD to pick up trash in underserved areas to improve police relations. He also was a protester in 2020, but joined with a law enforcement officer to bridge the gap between the police and protesters.
You simply need to take the tour yourself to absorb and understand how God is using StoneBridge to touch the lives of Northeast Charlotte residents in need. I promise you will enjoy every minute and will be encouraged, motivated to help where you can, and knowledgeable of Charlotte in a way you never thought possible or necessary.
Kelly Dockery
stories@stonebridge.org
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