An update from Chad & Shawna:
This holiday season, The Bowery Mission was introduced to Liberty Church in a big way. We were so blown away by the outpouring of generosity that our community shared with those less fortunate.
Sunday morning, we wandered over to The Bowery Mission to introduce ourselves before heading to service at Tribeca. We let them know we expected to return later with food donations from both communities of our church. We didn’t know what that would look like, explaining that we had our first service as a church in January of this year and were still relatively new to New York City. They welcomed our church community and were grateful for our intention to help. 
The Tribeca community brought enough bags of food and toiletries that we had a whole trunk full on our first delivery, and thanks to someone with a car, we were able to drive our donations over to the mission. With bags of everything from frozen vegetables, canned goods, and boxes of stuffing, to new underwear, shampoo, soap and razors, we returned to Bowery to unload our donations.
Immediately the kind gentlemen we met earlier in the morning came outside and started taking the big bags - we had about 13 - from the trunk. They were so grateful and surprised at how much we brought along with us. They were even more surprised when we told them we’d be back later in the evening after our night service at Union Square.
Unfortunately for us, we had no car later in the evening, and Union Square brought more than we could manage to walk with, which was amazing! It was exactly the problem we were hoping to have! We hailed down a cab and once again filled a trunk full of donations. A turkey, giant bags of macaroni and potatoes, socks, toothbrushes and toothpaste. When we arrived, we were asked to take our donations to the second door because we had too many bags and would block the main entrance. Another great problem to have! 
As if two successful trips with trunks full of food and hygienic items wasn’t enough, we also had $250 cash given to donate to The Bowery Mission for Thanksgiving meals. $19.08 provides 12 Thanksgiving Meals at The Bowery Mission, so that $250 will provide 157 meals for the hungry in our city, alongside the 28 giant bags of food and hygienic items to be given away in their ‘blessing bags’.
We are so proud to be a part of this big-hearted church community. Andi left us with such a perfect message leading in to Thanksgiving week when she preached last Sunday on, “Being Grateful.”
We are so grateful for the food we have on our tables to share amongst and with friends and family. We are so grateful for a roof over our head, and a pillow under it. And we are also grateful for the Liberty Church community who joined together this past weekend to share gratitude and serve our community as the hands and feet of Jesus Christ.
Rejoice always. Pray continually. Give thanks in all circumstances. THANK YOU.
Chad & Shawna
“And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone. Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else. Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 1Thessalonians5:14-18 NKJV
