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MEAD — Far north, near the fields of Green Bluff, sits a church with nearly 500 members.
“We’re a little bit hidden,” said Glenn Teal, the pastor of Timberview Christian Fellowship. “And we’re one of Spokane’s best kept secrets.”
The congregation, full of young couples and families, does not have many members over 70 years old, Teal said.
But with an emphasis on a children’s ministry, and a youth pastor who has served the church for 12 years, Timberview has age-level ministries all the way from nursery to high school graduation.
And with that young blood, Volunteer Coordinator Karen Roberts said the congregation has a desire to serve.
Twice a year, Timberview members sign up to serve a weekend, at 10 to 12 different locations in the community.
“There is no poking or prodding to get people to do stuff there,” Roberts said. “We wanted to create a way to allow people to serve … to grow together as a family and a church body, and to be exposed to some other non-profits in the community, without a big time commitment.”
Over the years, their Outside the Walls volunteer program has provided free community car washes, lawn and yard service, as well as assisted in feeding the homeless and gathering hats and gloves to aid other churches in their attempt to stop human trafficking.
“A lot of spiritual depth comes from picking up a towel and serving somebody in need,” Teal said. “That’s one of the biggest things we’re learning.”
Church members worked on a family farm once, for a man who needed a liver transplant.
And on their Car Care Day, mechanics in the congregation did free oil changes, changed wiper blades, rotated tires and replaced oil filters, all while the car owner received a free massage, pedicure, manicure and child-care service.
“We just want to be a blessing and take that burden off of someone else’s shoulders,” Roberts said.
And with that, Roberts said the congregation fulfills their mission statement: Loving God, loving people, loving life.
“We believe that when we serve people in need, we are expressing the heart of God,” Teal said. “When you give a cup of water in Jesus’ name, he is with you doing it. We do it for his heart — for lost and lonely and struggling people. And we’re expressing the love for those people who God loves.
Where we Worship is a new SpokaneFAVS feature that profiles different houses of worship in the Spokane area. To have your organization featured email [email protected].
Nice article, I enjoyed it!
It is wonderful that the Church is rediscovering the spiritual discipline of service. Nice article.