Emerging Community: The Advent of Christ

By Betsey Davis

Starting with a spark in the sticks, the Holy Spirit has a crackling flame now in a small rural community in Virginia. We have a fledging cradle for the birth of a new thing on fourteen acres along a major highway including a restaurant and motel.

Our thrift store provides both money and material goods meet community needs as well as recycling useable items. In 2019, the store has taken leap of faith by purchasing a used modular unit, doubling the size of the sales space. We didn’t seek the unit, but God delivered it our way in a most Holy Spirit way. This new “Furniture Barn” will enable us to provide furniture at affordable prices. In August we shared jeans with an elementary school in a neighboring county where all the children are on free or reduced lunch, and in October we returned with warm coats.  

Our restaurant hired a cook in July having grown beyond our ability to do it all. We expanded from one weekly dinner weekly to four meals per week. Our paying customers have opportunities to pay it forward, helping provide meals for others. Just as Christ built relationships at the table, in this welcoming environment, people return, sharing their lives and seeking advice with life issues. In all of our missions, neighbors and servants are building relationships and seek each other for spiritual support. 

We are ready to renovate six rooms of our eighteen-room motel for transitional housing with architect’s plans approved by our county but are lacking funds to start. Although we were not successful in our first grant writing attempt this year, we are hopeful, awaiting news on our second effort. 

Advent is more than the remembrance of a baby born long ago, but a continued revelation of Christ in everything. As the days and weeks in the life of Journey Community Center unfold, we are witness to the birth of Christ.

To lean more or to donate, visit jccenter.org

Thrift Store Servants, Kitchen Servants, and Restaurant Servers