by Karen Snyder
On the morning of May 2, members of Grace Church of West Feliciana in St.
Francisville gathered for a day of service at Assisi Heights Apartments, a local
residence for elderly and disabled neighbors. Grace’s Mission and Outreach Committee
organized the event, intentionally timing it to help residents prepare for their annual
apartment inspections taking place later that week.
About 30 volunteers from Grace were joined by parishioners from St. Francisville United
Methodist Church, ranging in age from teenagers to parishioners in their 80s. They
divided into three teams for cleaning, fellowship, and lunch, as they shared in a
common purpose: to serve with care, dignity, and joy.
The cleaning team worked in pairs, each team taking responsibility for two apartments.
With attentiveness to the particular needs of each resident, volunteers focused on the
most physically challenging tasks, such as scrubbing floors and bathtubs, changing bed
linens, and, in some cases, providing fresh new sheets and pillows. Meanwhile, the fellowship team transformed the common area into a place of warmth and connection. With an electric keyboard, handbells, and a group of singers, they offered music that invited residents to gather, listen, and sing along. Laughter and conversation filled the space as neighbors and volunteers alike enjoyed one another’s company.
Outside under the porte-cochere, the lunch team served a generous meal of jambalaya, rolls, fresh fruit, homemade desserts, and water. There was more than enough to go around, and some residents were even able to take leftovers home for another meal, an added gift extending beyond the gathering itself.
While not every resident requested help with cleaning, most came to share in the fellowship and meal. One resident reflected simply that she felt “so loved and cared for,” expressing her appreciation for the music, food, and much needed help with cleaning. This marked the second time Grace Church has partnered with St. Francisville United Methodist Church for a day of service at Assisi Heights, a sign of growing relationships both within the wider Christian community and with neighbors in need.
Reflecting on the day, Fr. Dalferes shared his gratitude for the work of the Mission and Outreach Committee and the spirit of the volunteers. “I always enjoy an opportunity to extend our table out into the community,” he said, naming the deeper calling behind the morning’s efforts.
In acts both simple and profound—cleaning a bathtub, sharing a meal, offering a song—Grace Church lived into its mission, reminding all involved that service is not only about meeting needs, but about building relationships and making visible the love of Christ in community.
