When layperson Leanne Hernandez approached her pastor, Reverend Megan Harris, about a ministry for spreading kindness and positivity in the community on behalf of Shelbyville Wesleyan Church in Kentucky, neither one could imagine the impact it would have.
Leanne & Michael
Finding a way to love on their community with no strings attached motivated Leanne and Pastor Meg to create a variety of ways — many at no cost — that congregants could participate in the ministry they named SWACK (Shelbyville Wesleyan Acts of Community Kindness). A SWACK may be drawing a picture for their neighbor, helping someone put groceries in their car, paying for the next person’s drive-thru order or giving out flower seeds to plant. During the Christmas season, Shelbyville Wesleyan gave away 150 rolls of wrapping paper all over town.
For the items they gave away, such as the wrapping paper and seeds, they collaborated on a design for a business card to attach to the items, letting the person know they have just been SWACKed and by whom. “I am a firm believer that small acts of kindness can make a difference,” said Leanne.
The program has not only been good for the receiver and the giver, but it has also been good for the church as well. Pastor Meg shared, “We have had visitors come to the church from this! Two have come to worship service, and others have come to our outreach programs such as Trunk or Treat and our annual Easter Eggstravaganza.”
The church also received thank you cards and positive mentions on social media. “The program has positively impacted the community by countering a negative attitude regarding Christians that has developed due to some in the community forcefully and vehemently sharing Jesus — not the love of Jesus. It is not uncommon to be subjected to hellfire and brimstone preaching in the parking lot of a local grocery store on a Friday night,” Pastor Meg said.
After seeing countless people turned off or offended by this type of witnessing, she was all in for meeting people where they live, work, shop and play without condemnation and with more understanding. “We hope to possibly lighten their load and brighten their day just by being kind,” explained Pastor Meg.
Leanne read a post about Shelbyville Wesleyan on a local community Facebook page stating, “This church has got it right.” The positive traction has been good for the small church of about 50 regular attenders in a town with a population of about 16,000 that is saturated with many churches in the area.
“It has pushed some of our people out of their comfort zones but helped them be bold in loving their neighbors as we have been instructed to do in God’s Word,” said Pastor Meg.
Pastor Meg’s favorite SWACK may have been from a member who admitted she begrudgingly did it. She had a rough morning getting the kids ready for church and had to make a stop at a store. While there she remembered she had a wrapping paper roll with the SWACK card attached to it in the back seat. This mother gave it to a woman in the store’s parking lot. “The woman was so pleasantly surprised to receive the kindness; she later went on to post a picture of the gift and share how blessed she was by the thoughtful generosity. It garnered a ton of ‘likes’ and comments about how that is the way to share Jesus with people. Later in the day people were calling and texting me about it.”
Another member paid for the lunch of two sisters without them knowing. The sisters only knew it was someone from Shelbyville Wesleyan and sent a note of thanks, which Pastor Meg read to the congregation. “We still don’t know who paid for their meal. Don’t let one hand know what the other is doing!”
Of Leanne, Pastor Meg says she is a “wonderfully positive and colorful personality filled with energy and ideas” who helps people with disabilities get the benefits they deserve. “When I am working on a new outreach or am looking for innovative ministry ideas, Leanne is one of my go-to people.”
As the church prepares to celebrate its 75th anniversary, it hopes to get everyone involved in carrying out 75 SWACKs in honor of the years. Leanne shared, “We don’t want accolades, we just want people to know that God loves them, and we love them.”
For a list of Shelbyville’s projects to creatively inspire your church, email Pastor Meg at pastormegc@gmail.com.
Jennifer Jones is a former journalist and pastor’s wife serving as the North Carolina East District administrator.
