Worthy Christian News > Christian > Massachusetts Congregation Opens Church as Warming Center for Homeless

Massachusetts Congregation Opens Church as Warming Center for Homeless

by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent

(Worthy News) – An Assemblies of God (AG) evangelical church in Massachusetts has transformed its 100-year-old building into a warming center for the homeless and others battling the state’s frigid temperatures this winter, AG News reports.

Intent on building relationships and sharing the love of God with the local community, Christ the Rock Church in Fall River, Massachusetts has partnered with two other congregations to take eight-hour shifts in keeping warming centers open, AG News reports. By taking eight-hour shifts the churches were able to quickly meet the need for warm refuges: overnight/24-hour shelters are subject to restrictions that can take a lot of time to comply with.

“Outreach was already happening, but we wanted to do more,” the church’s lead pastor Rob Canavan told AG News. “We want people to see the church as not just religion, but genuinely caring about people and the community.”

Christ the Rock Church also operates a cooling center during hot summers and provides free food and “blessing bags” for the homeless, AG News said.

“This is the church that helps . . . ,” a local city council member is reported as saying in a statement. Indeed, the church’s mission statement is: “Love God, love people, change the world.”