Nebraska Synod ELCA

by Erin Judy

As we lean into October’s theme of Go and…Ask, one of the things we think about is what God asks of us individually, and also in the missions of our congregations. Messiah has done a lot of this “asking” recently, discerning where we can be vital in serving those around us. Messiah resides in the middle of Ralston, a “small town” in the big city of Omaha. As we’ve always been good about reaching out to the community around us, the demographics in Ralston have changed drastically since we opened our doors. Feeling a little out of touch with the changing neighborhood, we’ve strived to reach out and listen to our neighbors. One of the ways we’ve begun to do this is the Parking Lot Ministry. Messiah is fortunate to have an elementary and middle school right across the street. For years, parents have parked in our lot to wait for their kids after school, but we’ve never engaged with them, until now. The Parking Lot Ministry goes out once a week to give the students and parents a bottle of water, snack, and smile, just to show we care. Our intention with this ministry isn’t to get them into worship, although that would be great, but is more about building relationships with those who drive past the building, but have never come through the front doors. For Messiah, this ministry is about listening to those outside our doors, God’s people. As we build relationships, listen, and gain trust, we can then ask our neighbors, “how can we help?” when we see and hear the needs in their lives.

When we began in March of 2022, naturally there was a little hesitance of those we were serving. Knocking on people’s car window and talking to their kids wasn’t something that was expected. But as time has gone on, and volunteers have reassured those waiting that “no, we aren’t asking you for anything” or “kicking you out of our lot”, there has been so much joy! Students, parents, and little siblings have come to expect Messiah’s Monday pick-me-ups, and volunteers have gotten back just as much as they’ve given. Two of our volunteers were gifted  crocheted crosses by a middle school girl, and many times people insist on making a monetary donation. One volunteer, Jean, gave a man some snacks and he tried to pay her. When she told him he didn’t have to pay for anything, he laughed and said, “Well, that’s not the American way.” Jean told him, “Well, that’s the Messiah way!”

2 Corinthians 9:8 says, “And God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance, so that by always having enough of everything, you may share abundantly in every good work.” God has blessed those at Messiah with enough to share abundantly through their time and donations, sustaining this ministry to create a lasting impact.

We hope to bring more of this joy to others who use our parking lot, building, and those who are in the neighborhood. Building relationships and serving those around us make Messiah vital to the community and to the mission of the Church!

To hear more about our Parking Lot Ministry, check out this video: https://youtu.be/063-oBrG91g