If you would like to be more involved with one of our ministries or ministry partners, please reach out to Minister of Community Engagement Eric Clark or the Ministry Committee chairs, Jeff Davison and Sarah Leffel.
BCOC Ministry Fair
March 9 at 10:00 am
On Sunday, March 9 from 10:00 am to 11:30 am, the Ministry Committee will host a Ministry Fair in the Fellowship Hall. This will be a time to connect with and learn more about our Ministry Partners and ways that you can support them throughout the year. Be sure to visit each ministry and you may even win some BCOC swag! Swag bags will be raffled and snacks will be provided. There will be no Sunday School this day to allow for all members to attend the fair. The nursery will be open and Godly Play will proceed as normal. Childcare will be provided in the worship care room adjacent to the fellowship hall for children grades first through third. However, 1st-3rd graders are encouraged to attend the fair with their families if they would like to! Many of us are searching for ways to take action in these confusing and disheartening times. Let the Ministry Fair be an opportunity for us as a church to find a way forward together.
Faith in Action – Birmingham Hub Meeting
February 20 at 5:30 pm
On February 20 from 5:30 to 7:30 pm, BCOC will serve as the host site for the monthly Birmingham hub meeting of Faith in Action Alabama, one of our new ministry partners for 2025. FIAA is a “multi-faith, multi-racial organization that works to honor God by achieving systemic change to create pathways of opportunity for all Alabamians.” Dinner will be served from 5:30 to 6:00 p.m. at no cost to those who attend. Please let Eric know if you plan to attend.
This is an opportunity for BCOC members to connect with other participating faith communities in the Birmingham area and learn what community organizing work FIAA is doing and how you can contribute.
One Roof – Annual Feast and Resource Fair
January 28 at 5:00 pm
On January 28, BCOC served as the host site for One Roof’s feast and resource fair to conclude its annual point-in-time census of Birmingham’s houseless population. One Roof serves as the US Department of Housing and Urban Development’s homeless Continuum of Care hub for Jefferson, St. Clair, and Shelby Counties. Its mission is to equip and empower the Greater Birmingham community to prevent and end homelessness through advocacy, education, and coordination of services.
Around 80 housing insecure persons were served at the event, many of whom are regulars with our Common Table ministry, and a number of admirable organizations, including Pathways, Recovery Resource Center, and Food for the Journey, tabled at the resource fair.
A group of “church ambassadors” drawn from the Common Table ministry team helped Eric Clark extend warmth and hospitality to One Roof and its partners and clientele. The ambassadors included Suzanne Martin, George Jolly, Randal Richardson, and Alisha Seruyange. Together, they and Eric were able to make a number of promising connections.
That BCOC had this opportunity at all can be attributed to the reputation that our Common Table ministry has garnered among those experiencing housing insecurity in our city. If you would like to volunteer with Common Table, please reach out to Randall Richardson, the ministry team lead, or Carol Dean, the Ministry Committee’s volunteer engagement team lead.
“Valarie Kaur says, ‘Revolutionary Love is the call of our time,’ and challenges us to live out how we would
like the world to be. The thread of love is woven throughout her stories from the Sikh faith, just as it is woven
throughout the stories of our Christian faith, especially in the person of Jesus. I see our stories in tandem
and am reminded of God’s presence in our solidarity as we work together to build Beloved Community.”
Kim Looney on the Revolutionary Bus Tour event with Valarie Kaur (10/23/24)
Take What You Need Fence Ministry
BCOC youth are leading the way in revitalizing our Take What You Need Fence Ministry. Visit their Amazon Wishlist here to order items.
Clothes and Coat Closets
Our Clothes Closet and Coat Closet are dedicated to helping our members and neighbors in need. Volunteers who distribute items from these closets do real, tangible good week after week, from providing a change of clothes to a church member being discharged from the hospital after receiving emergency care to helping Common Table guests stay warm in the winter.
Unfortunately, both closets are running low on a range of items, especially cooler weather items. Please consider donating any items listed below. You may drop off your donations on one of the tables in the common area of the Ministry Center on Sunday mornings.
If you would like to be more involved with one of our ministries or ministry partners, please reach out to Minister of Community Engagement Eric Clark or the Ministry Committee chairs, Jeff Davison and Sarah Leffel. You can learn more about our ministries on BCOC’s website. We also encourage you to visit our ministry partners’ websites and sign up for their mailings, if they offer any