The Adventist Community Services (ACS) team at Mount Sinai Church in Orlando, Fla., is committed to helping others, and maintaining their own health. Under the leadership of Lesli Ahonkhai, Southeastern Conference Regional 2 coordinator, and Greta Spradley-Price, members come together to worship God, witness to the community, and for physical workout. This model of service represents a supportive community that exemplifies a unified body of Christ described in Acts 1, 2.
The ACS team puts God’s work first. On Sundays and Mondays, they prepare and distribute boxes of food, provide clothing on an ongoing basis, and give away bicycles for residents in need. Russell Durham, owner of Rusty’s Bicycle Recycle, Inc., provides the bikes to Mt. Sinai. He repairs used bikes and redistributes them to veterans, the unsheltered, and to individuals who need transportation. Thousands of residents have benefited from these services. Outside of the community service work setting, the ACS team members socialize and support one another. On a regular basis, they come together for faith-building activities which range from having cookouts to bicycling. These social events foster unity and a special bond among the team members. The social events also offer an opportunity for the team to witness to their families and friends of other religious faiths by inviting them to the activities.
While preparing food boxes for distribution can count as a physical workout, several ACS members also ride bikes several times per week for enjoyment and exercise. The Adventist Bike Riders health initiative was started by Stanley Lewis, Arnott Barclay, and Arthur Battles. On a regular basis, cyclists Spradley- Price, Altamese Blake, Carlos Blake, Christopher Howard, Eleanor Towns, and Yvonne Moye ride for fitness and recreation. Exercise is known to lower the risk of chronic diseases, such as hypertension, diabetes, high cholesterol, and other lifestyle diseases. Through cycling, the ACS team lives and shares the health message.
The combination of worship, witnessing, and workout works. It allows the ACS team at Mt. Sinai Church, under the pastorate leadership of Derrick Moffett, Th.D., and Alexis Madrid, to reach more people and stay unified as the body of Christ.
ACS teams are encouraged to consider using a variety of methods to meet the physical, spiritual, and social needs of community residents and church members.
Southeastern | January 2024
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