Bethel Pentecostal Tabernacle serves free pizza to students at a local high school
THE CHURCH
Bethel Pentecostal Tabernacle
THE CHALLENGE
Building relationships and helping neighbours
THE IDEA
Monthly pizza outreach to high school students of Happy Valley–Goose Bay, Newfoundland and Labrador
THE COST
$400/month
Youth pastor Jennifer Austin explains:
One day I walked into one of the high schools and asked, “Would you allow us to come and serve?” The principal and vice principal looked at each other and said, “Yes, we can’t think of a reason why not.”
We had previously started Garage Pizza from our family home, serving free pizza to youth who would drop by. Then, it had moved to our garage. Now, I was asking if we could do it directly from the high schools in town. I was happy they said yes.
We offered to give pizza once a month at the schools to serve a greater number of students. We were only getting between 30–50 children coming to the church garage because of the colder climate in our community. Not every child has a snowmobile they can use to get around.
We believe in showing up for people, just doing what Jesus did and that’s what people need the most.
The move to the high schools was a good one. Now we’re able to purchase the pizza and go to the schools. Our people at Bethel give continually towards this outreach. The cost ends up being $400 for 170 slices of pizza that our volunteers and I give out once a month. We get a generous deal from a local pizza shop in town. We order the cheese and pepperoni pizza – the classics – on a Wednesday and head out on Friday to bring it to the schools just before lunch.
It takes a team because it’s a lot of pizza.
My advice is that it all starts with building relationships with your schools. Having a connecting point with your community’s schools should be an ongoing focus.
This may seem like a big thing but it’s really not, it’s just a slice of pizza. Sometimes we think we have to do this big thing to reach those who don’t know Jesus. Sometimes it’s just a simple slice of pizza. You’re doing the Jesus work, and that is all you need. For Bethel Pentecostal Tabernacle, we have an unofficial motto, “We love our town,” and that is our heart. We believe in showing up for people, just doing what Jesus did and that’s what people need the most.
Watch Church in Community on FaithToday.tv. Do you have a story to share about your church’s community outreach? Contact us at editor@FaithToday.ca. Read more stories in this series at FaithToday.ca/CIC. Photo: Bethel Pentecostal Tabernacle