Denise Thompson
Community Service
Daphne Brown, community services leader of Sunrise Church, noticed a pressing issue of food insecurity in Sunrise, Fla., more than 20 years ago. Her response was not to turn away but to take action. She began distributing free food from the back of her car, a simple yet powerful act of love.
To kickstart this noble initiative, she and a group of dedicated volunteers used their own money to purchase food for those in need. These individuals are the heart and soul of this program, which is currently under the community services interim leadership of Judine Foster, Shirley Jackson, and Charmaine Ottey. “The backbone of our program is our community members,” said Thompson. “Their unwavering support and contributions have been integral to the success of this program. We deeply value their involvement, and express gratitude also to Feeding South Florida, Costco, and Publix for their weekly food donations which have been crucial to our mission.”
New Members of Sunrise Church
Chaplain Peter Lopez, a member of Sunrise Church, is a fulltime employee of South Bay Correctional & Rehabilitation Facility, where he conducts Sabbath worship services every Sabbath for more than 50 inmates. The inmates led out in the welcome, opening announcements, prayer, Sabbath School lesson study summary, welcome song, and opening hymn with the worship team.
The main service begins with a call to worship and follows the same program outline of the average church, which culminates with a thematic sermon and altar call by Lopez. Recently, 11 new believers were baptized and voted into membership at Sunrise Church. Several more are awaiting baptism.
Florida | January 2025
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