Ferndale Pastor Jim Pool: Seeking the Success of our City
(Guest Column by Jim Pool, orig. Ferndale Michigan Works, Nov. 23, 2014)
“Wherever I am, I try to support the community, love people, encouraging all that is good that is happening in the city.”
When we opened our doors as the Renaissance Vineyard Church nearly three years ago, one of our values was to be a great friend to the city. We wanted to serve and support our local community, to not only love the people but to actually like the place that where we were at! For us, the church is not the building. The church is the people. So every Sunday, at the conclusion of our service, I encourage people to “go out and be the church.” To go love people and seek the success of our city.
We support our local community in a number of ways. We actively participate in Chamber activities, building relationships, helping network, and hosting connection opportunities in our building for small businesses that may not have a space of their own. We empower the small business owners in our church community. We champion local events like the DIY, including them alongside our church events on our calendar. We advocate for our great school district. And we care for hungry area families and our homeless neighbors. Our food pantry (including our new garden providing desperately needed healthy vegetables) feeds 80-100 families a month, and our Warming Center sleeps about 75 homeless women and men for 12 days at the start of each new year.
The following story embodies the essence of the posture we’re trying to take. As Ferndale continues to grow, one of the really cool things that’s developed are the many charitable 5K runs. As the City has continued to work on the intricacies of the standardized route for these runs, many of them have gone right by our church building (at 9 & Pinecrest). Which is awesome. On one such occasion, the bulk of the runners ran by from 10-11am on a bright blue Sunday morning. When the start of our 10:30am service came, less than half our group was present. Rather than complain, we happily went outside and started cheering the runners on with gusto, encouraging them to finish strong, waiting for the rest of our community to be released from traffic. I loved it! I was so proud of our church.
I’ve lived in Ferndale for 13 years now and I walk around town every chance I get. I love being in the schools and parks and businesses and bars. Wherever I am, I try to support the community, love people, encouraging all that is good that is happening in the city.
I was in the Army for a short time before becoming a pastor. During that time, the rule of thumb was that for every infantryman on the front lines, there were seven heroic women and men making what that soldier did possible. You might say the Renaissance Vineyard Church is a little like that. Our church is filled with heroic women and men and kids caring for people on the frontlines in need, serving and supporting the great business, educational and civic leaders we have in our community.
The Renaissance Vineyard Church is so thankful to be part of our community and we are happy to #SupportLocal.
Learn more about Renaissance Vineyard at http://www.renvc.com/.
NOTE: This guest column is part of a series presented by Ferndale Michigan Works Business Services Department, and was originally published on Nov. 10, 2014 at http://ferndalecareercenter.wordpress.com/2014/11/10/the-business-of-supporting-local/. Ferndale Michigan Works provides resources, training and opportunities for a strong, growing business and career-minded community. Follow their Business Services Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/ferndalemiworksbusiness
Previous stories:
https://oaklandcounty115.com/2014/11/18/the-oakland-owner-talks-about-importance-of-supporting-local/
https://oaklandcounty115.com/2014/08/13/renaissance-vineyard-church-coordinating-volunteers-supplies/