FBC Foley meeting physical, spiritual needs

People seeking assistance from the Christian Community Center (CCC) at First Baptist Church, Foley, not only receive food, clothing or other forms of help, but they receive an invitation to meet Jesus as well.
   
“You would be surprised at how many people have never heard of Jesus, and we aren’t talking about young people either,” said George Durden, volunteer director of the center. “Many of the older people who come here looking for help have simply never heard of Jesus, or what He offers to every one of us. They just know that a church can sometimes help them during a time of crisis or emergency.”
   
The CCC, as it is known in South Baldwin County, is the result of a vision for outreach ministry that Pastor Billy Nale had for a house First, Foley, had  purchased, which is located adjacent to the sanctuary of the church.
   
“When we first began this ministry we used the model that Jesus gave us,” Nale said. “Wherever Jesus ministered He met the physical needs of people before meeting their spiritual needs.”
   
When Durden and his wife, Joanne, heard of Nale’s goals for the house, they immediately volunteered to be of service. After all, the couple had 13 years of experience with such a project prior to their move to Foley from Hemphill, Texas.
   
“We just felt that the Lord was leading us to this place,” said Durden, a retired chemical engineer.
Ever since it opened Aug. 7, 2002, the CCC has averaged helping approximately 35 people every month. The center is open on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 a.m. until noon.
   
Many became aware of the church’s outreach ministry through public service announcements that are broadcast on a local AM radio station that also carries the Sunday morning services of First, Foley. Others heard of the center via word of mouth as one family relates to another about how the CCC helped them.
   
“People within our congregation have donated food, clothes and money to this ministry,” Nale said. “Even though we operate on a limited budget we try to help people where we can. Whenever we serve the Lord’s Supper we also take a love offering for the center at that time.”
   
Occasionally the CCC is called upon to help with utility or pharmaceutical bills that a person may have a hard time paying.
   
“Sometimes we are able to help them with the bill, but at other times all we can do is try to help them get an extension from the utility company,” Durden said. “Helping someone pay their utility bill can take all of the money we have to operate for that month as the bill is usually an accumulation of several months’ worth.”
   
Durden said many times all the CCC can do is smooth out a few bumps in the highway for someone.
   
The CCC enjoys a close working relationship with Catholic Social Services, which is located in nearby Robertsdale, as well as Ecumenical Ministries that has an office in Foley.
If the center is out of resources, they can refer a person to a similar social organization.
   
“We have 22 volunteers who have been trained for the various jobs that need to be performed around here,” said Durden.
   
“We have a receptionist who takes down the information from someone who needs help, as well as others who work with the food pantry and clothes closet.”
   
Information that is taken by the receptionist is compared to a strict list of guidelines that the church has set up.
   
“Unfortunately, there are those who go from church to church seeking help,” Durden said. “The majority of the people we minister to are truly in need, but every now and then you come across someone who will take advantage of the system. That’s why the guidelines are in place.”
   
The vast majority of people that the CCC ministers to are families, Nale said. “Most of them are searching for food.”
   
During the interview, Nale excused himself to meet a family of four who had come to the CCC. A short time later, he returned saying, “We just had two professions of faith. They indicated that they wanted to follow up by being baptized.”
   
For Nale and the other CCC volunteers, seeing a family come to Christ is what the center is all about.
For more information about the CCC, call Durden at the church office, 251-943-8352, or e-mail Nale at benale@foleyfirstbaptist.com.