Valda Mehrtens writes about Hamilton South Baptist Church’s partnership with an op shop to serve the local community.
Hamilton South Baptist Church members, as well as neighbourhood folk, run a local op shop called Reflections Collections, which functions under Life Plus Community Trust (LPCT).
As our op shop was in a back street with decreasing pedestrian traffic, and in a building that no longer complied with the new earthquake building code, it was time to relocate. Hamilton South Baptist Church offered LPCT a section of their hall extension. This was the vision that had been prayed for and answered!
LPCT runs the op shop as an outreach to engage better with the ‘needy’ in our area and to provide hope, in particular to those encountering social difficulties.
The trust also works with local schools, providing financial help for breakfasts and lunches to disadvantaged children who come to school unfed, and it assists with some school activity costs.
Another successful cause LPCT contributes to is a Hamilton South Baptist Church member who voluntarily travels to all 18 prisons in New Zealand. She visits primarily as a gospel singer and musician, to bring messages of hope through the love of God to prisoners and prison staff alike. The subsequent positive experience for some of those prisoners is testament of the love and care of Jesus Christ, confirmed by prison chaplains.
Since opening in February 2019, the public response to the op shop’s new location has been very positive. Our desire is that it will be a happy and productive place for the customers and volunteers alike.
Story: Valda Mehrtens
