PUBLISHED SUNDAY NOVEMBER 20, 1997
Copyright 1997 The Pensacola News Journal. All
rights reserved
Other churches
reach out to community
By
Kimberly Blair
staff writer
What do other area churches do to
directly help the needy?
Some examples:
Olive Baptist, Pensacola 's largest church
with a membership of 7,726 and an annual budget
of $4 million, makes helping the needy of the
community a high priority. The church devotes at
least $85,000 a year to local outreach, and Olive
Baptist members repair roofs, clean yards or
paint houses for people who can 't afford it
otherwise, said Dave Corson, church
administrator.
Circle Baptist Church in Warrington, one of
Pensacola 's smallest churches with a membership
of 40 and an annual budget of $39,000, makes a
strong commitment to charity and outreach in its
own way: It maintains a food bank and opens it to
anyone in need. If the church can 't help, it
refers people to agencies.
Brownsville Baptist Church, a few blocks from
Brownsville Assembly of God, has a membership of
700 and an annual budget of $288,972. It spends
$7,200 a year on direct local outreach and an
additional $4,424 to other area ministries such
as Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
"We have some responsibility to the
community but no church is a cure-all,"
Pastor John Pavelus said.
Many people in the neighborhood live below or
at poverty level, he said. "I do think
Brownsville Assembly of God needs to be a leading
major part in the community, not only physically,
but spiritually minister to the total person.
That goes for any church and every church,"
he said.
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