Letting the Light of Jesus Shine - Sunnyside Ministry
Many Moravian churches celebrate anniversaries in the hundreds. Sunnyside Ministry of the Moravian Church, in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, just celebrated an anniversary too. But it hasn’t quite reached the hundreds yet. On Sunday, August 24, 2008, Sunnyside celebrated its 30 years of service to the southeastern part of the city and northern Davidson County. For as many years, Sunnyside has made a huge impact in meeting the needs of folks in our community. And by meeting the needs of those less fortunate, Sunnyside has given us, fellow Moravians, a way of sharing Christ with those in need.
Sunnyside has a very simple mission statement: to follow Christ by providing hope through service to those in need in our community. Sunnyside has, over the years, provided that hope through various means. Many come to Sunnyside in need of financial assistance; to pay a utility bill, buy medicine or keep from being evicted. But most leave Sunnyside with more than just a bill paid or food for their table. The staff and volunteers at Sunnyside also offer hope and peace in times of despair.
The anniversary was celebrated in the typical Moravian tradition: food, fun, and fellowship. But there was much more to the evening than that. Konnoak Hills Lions Club provided and served the meal. Brad Bennett, the Moravian Lower Brass Band, and the Bluegrass Band from Mt. Bethel Moravian church in Cana, Virginia, provided musical entertainment for a beautiful, cool summer evening. History was shared, familiar faces made an appearance, and new ones were introduced. Sunnyside volunteers greeted visitors and opened the doors of the ministry, giving tours to anyone interested in seeing the facility.
We were welcomed with brief comments from F. L. “Doc” Shaver, who serves on the Sunnyside Program Board, the Rt. Rev. Dr. Wayne Burkette, President of the Provincial Elders’ Conference for the Southern Province, Tommy Cole, current Director of Sunnyside Ministry, and the Rev. David Guthrie, Executive Director of the Board of Evangelism and Home Missions, also for the Southern Province. Each speaker kept his message short, recognizing leaders and volunteers who had worked throughout the years to make Sunnyside the institution it has become. Although the Rt. Rev. Dr. Burkette spoke only briefly, he truly defined Sunnyside Ministry when he said it was “the heart and hands of Jesus” in our community.
You see, Sunnyside is not only able to provide financial assistance to those in need, but they also provide other means to help sustain families in difficult times. Sunnyside isn’t just a ministry of the Moravian Church; it is several ministries wrapped into one location. The ministry operates a food pantry that can provide a family with enough groceries to get them to the next paycheck. They maintain a very well organized clothing closet for folks of all ages and sizes. In their abundance, they can also offer a few small household goods for families who might have been burned out of their homes and are left with nothing. Sunnyside also offers a medical clinic staffed by doctors, nurses, and volunteers from our community. And if that weren’t enough, Sunnyside also provides scholarships and internships to worthy students interested in pursuing higher education.
How can they do all this? They do it with the help of everyone in our community. Sunnyside continues to receive financial support from individuals, congregations, trusts, and grants. Thankfully, over the years, the amount of financial support has continued to grow, with the number of resources growing as well. But the real support comes from the people, the people of Forsyth and Davidson Counties. It turns out that every time a major event occurred in Sunnyside’s lifetime, the people from the community have made it happen. When new office space was needed, it was found, made affordable, and then remodeled by volunteers. When items were needed for the food pantry and the clothing closet, people contributed to the need. The list goes on and on.
Sunnyside Ministry began as an outreach of Trinity Moravian Church, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, with just a handful of volunteers, and now it has three staffed positions and over 100 volunteers. Students come in and work as interns during summer months. Volunteers and interns fill the positions of receptionist, interviewers, lead interviewers, food pantry staff, clothing closet staff, and anywhere else they might be needed. Just as Sunnyside serves those with the greatest need, this ministry provides all of us with an opportunity to be the “heart and hands of Jesus.”
