A sea of people in orange “Love Works” T-shirts descended upon Liberty Park Thursday evening to give the city park a much needed sprucing up.
“We are trying to do some things in the community to be a blessing,” said Rob Kurtz, pastor of Mansfield Baptist Temple, 752 N. Stewart Road, Mansfield.
The “Love Works Initiative” is a week-long service effort to the community, Kurtz said. “Another church did this out in California and we got the idea.”
Kurtz said the week of service has included feeding the Expressview Drive Madison township fire department three different meals for three different shifts, the beautification of Liberty Park and preparing a meal for the Madison High School football team before their “Friday Night Lights” football game. The congregation will conclude their service projects with a “Harmony House Help Night” at their Sunday evening worship service.
“We had so much stuff last year. It was unbelievable how much our church brought in,” he said.
As about 100 volunteers from the church picked up trash, weeded many sidewalks and side areas of the park, painted park benches and lines on the basketball court, Kurtz said he wanted to show that the love of Jesus Christ as an action.
“This is the kind of church we have,” he said. “We tell them that we would like for them to come work and a whole bunch of people just show up.”
Kurtz then explained that Jesus’ primary mission, while on earth, was spiritual, which was “to seek and to save which was lost.”
“But, He fed people, He helped people that were struggling and if we’re going to call ourselves Christians, we want to be Christ-like,” he said. “That’s why we’ve got the title ‘Love Works,’ because if you truly love, there’s going to be work involved.”
Church members also handed out cards to park goers which invited them to a “Love Works Sunday” at 8:45 and 11 a.m. Sept. 28 at the church. There will also be a live animal show at 10:45 a.m. for children in the Junior church (Riffle Gymnasium).
Kurtz pointed out his mother and father, John and Alma Kurtz, who were busy painting a park bench.
“My dad’s a farmer. I’ve never in my life seen him in a T-shirt. He’s an old fashioned farmer. So I was teasing him tonight because he had to wear a T-shirt,” he said. “My parents are my biggest supporters.”
Kurtz said he wanted to teach his church that it is better to give than receive. “And they know that. That’s why they’re here.”
Church member Terry Cross, who assisted by raking grass, said Kurtz “has set the church on fire with his love for people and the community.
“He says that we are to show Jesus to people and it’s not just lip service. It’s to serve people and to show them our love by action,” she said. “It’s easy to say you love somebody and the people in your town but you try to put some hands to that too make it real.”
Mike and Machell Creighton brought four of their 10 grandchildren to help clean and tidy up the park.
Machell Creighton said her grandsons, Kristian, 11, Connor, 7, and twins, Carter and Cole, 5, were excited to help pick up trash, rake grass and be a part of the service project.
“We hope they grow up and follow in our footsteps of giving to the community,” she said.
The couple said they live in the vicinity of the park and wanted to come help keep their neighborhood clean.
“We wanted to do this as a family,” said Machell Creighton. “We want to help our community and let them know that our church is very family-oriented and very family-friendly. We also want to build a memory.”
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