Social Services

Churches are well known as a place to receive help - help of all kinds, including financial assistance. When someone needs some financial assistance, people call churches and their leaders reach into the benevolence budget to see what they can do. Churches around Culpeper this winter have helped folks pay their heating bills, pay their mortgages and put gas in their cars.

I received a phone call yesterday from a person in Culpeper's Social Services office. It seems there is a program being instituted in our community in which all requests for benevolence funds are being routed through the Department of Social Services. Monica from Social Services will then serve as a filter and main point of coordination. She will contact churches herself and accumulate funds to meet the person's needs as funds are available.

I think this is a great idea! It relieves the stress from any one particular church. It also prevents churches from being taken advantage of by a person who may see an opportunity to request funds for the same need from several churches.

I'm not sure how many communities around our nation have this kind of program, but I can't help but think we're fairly unique. I love Culpeper!