We are excited to offer you a new tool that will help you and your congregation change the world. In the past four years, The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection has developed a 5K run/walk called Sacred Steps. Sacred Steps is an annual community-wide event to raise awareness and money for projects in Africa. The funds raised from Sacred Steps help people impacted by HIV and AIDS, war, and poverty.
This 5K run/walk began with a mission trip to a conference in Cape Town, South Africa, where we connected with a United Methodist pastor, Rev. Tembo Kalenga. Her experiences as a refugee prompted her to create an organization, SHADE (an acronym for Sojourner, Help, Advocacy, Development and Education). The goal of SHADE is to empower the indigenous people throughout sub-Saharan Africa to find ways for sustained economic development, to obtain education for their children, to minister to the poor and the sick, and to build a generation that has hope. With our African partner, SHADE, we developed relationships with people in communities and churches throughout twenty different countries. We have seen their pain and realized that we, as a Christian Community, must do something. Thus, the Sacred Steps 5K Run/Walk was born.
In just four short years, we have raised over $600,000. Through God’s guidance and the generosity of many people, we have provided feeding programs for orphans, fish ponds, poultry farms, fields of crops, irrigation systems, bicycles for transportation, blankets for warmth, shoes for feet, a maternity clinic, and several multi-purpose buildings in villages throughout Africa. So this is the good we can do together. Collectively we can make a difference in the lives of the people of Africa that we could not do alone. But, there is more.
One of the great surprises that has come from Sacred Steps is that it has attracted people to our church who want to change the world. People of all ages throughout our community have picked up an information brochure and found the Sacred Steps cause compelling. Last year, the “most inspiring” runner was a young woman who had never been to our church and showed up on race day with a check for $1,200, wanting to make a difference in the lives of children and adults in Africa. So we invite you to join us to create your own Sacred Steps. With God’s guidance and our joint efforts, we can help our sisters and brothers who pray for a better life. A journey of hope begins with one step.
All this to honor Jesus Christ,