The City of Churches has decided to unite as one this summer. Many of Richland County’s faith-based organizations and churches are banding together to “shine a light” in their immediate communities by collaborating on a two-month event, starting in June, called Light Our City.
This year marks the second year of this effort, which has changed significantly. Last year, for instance, was a one-day event and 23 churches were involved in various community projects. This year, the event will begin with a kickoff rally event on the Central Park square on June 28 at noon. The two-month event will end on Aug. 30.
The event has attracted 35 churches and organizations this year and there are six cities involved, including Mansfield, Ontario, Lexington, Bellville and Shelby. There are also some organizations based in Cincinnati and Cleveland.
According to Light Our City organizer Jerry Laudermilk, pastor of Abundant Life Tabernacle in Ontario, the idea to host this event came from a percieved need to get out and “be a light” to the community and to create unity within the church.
“This really was birthed out of a Bible study that we needed to put hands and feet to,” stated Laudermilk. He explained that three years ago, he noticed the attendance at the church’s midweek service on Wednesday nights seemed slim. They were all mature Christians, he pointed out, but he saw the need to “take the word out.”
“Light Our City is not just our church, but the body of Christ. We are trying to break barriers. It is cross denominational; it blurs racial lines. We are binding together to unite the body of Christ with a common goal,” said Laudermilk.
Mayor Marilyn John said she is excited to see what comes of community projects spurred on by Light Our City.
“It is important for faith-based organizations to be involved in their communities. Physical projects like housing projects are good, but there are also spiritual needs out there. There are some people who are very lonely in Shelby. Just having someone else there is a good thing for individuals who can’t always get out of the house,” said John.
Amoung some of the projects scheduled for this summer are street cleanups, handyman services for the elderly and sidewalk repairs. There is a complete list of the events and dates found here.
For Pastor Laudermilk, the most exciting aspect of Light Our City is the one-on-one interaction with people of the community. He recalled a time last year when he was able to speak with a homeless person for over an hour. He was able to answer spiritual related questions and befriend the individual.
“The times I am able to be personal with someone are the best times for me,” said Laudermilk.
Associate Pastor of Evangelism at Berean Baptist Church Craig Hamm is also excited for cultivating spiritual relationships. His involvement is with Prospect Park in Mansfield. His team and a team from Grace Fellowship Church will join together in cleaning up the park and fixing broken equipment.
“I am pleased to join other churches to make a difference. There are spiritual needs in the community. But I am excited to inspire people to take ownership of places in their community,” shared Hamm. “We need to take pride in our communities, while also reaching them with the gospel,” he added.
Light Our City’s mission derives from a verse in the Bible, which quotes Jesus: “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven,” The Gospel of Matthew 5:16, New American Standard Bible (NASB).
For more information on how to be involved with the Light Our City event, and for a full list of the churches and organizations involved, visit the website.
“We are trying to break barriers. It is cross denominational; it blurs racial lines. We are binding together to unite the body of Christ with a common goal,” said Jerry Laudermilk.
