Oil City churches distribute Bags of Love to members

From staff reports

Pastors at Good Hope and Zion Lutheran churches in Oil City brought cheer and goodie bags to church members this week.

The churches have been doing an outreach program called “Bags of Love” for several years, said the Rev. Sandra Jones, who is one of the two pastors for the churches.

The Bags of Love program involves the churches taking bags of goodies to different local organizations and agencies. The bags contain raisins, a granola bar, trail mix, snack crackers and a bottle of water.

Teachers at Seventh Street and Smedley Street elementary schools, The Pointe and police and fire departments have been some of the recipients in the past, Jones said.

“With the virus and folks at home we thought it was an opportune time to take the Bags of Love to our members since we can’t meet for church or go visit them in their homes,” Jones said.

Jones, the Rev. Mike Parsh (the 2 churches’ other pastor) and Joyce Frenz (communities ministries director) distributed 38 bags of goodies this week to older or ill members and members who fall into the at-risk category for coronavirus.

The distributions went as far as Titusville, Tionesta and Cooksburg.