When the Church Shows Up
Jeff and Sue Smith
How Jeff and Sue Smith are finding neighbors, friendship, and the love of Jesus at Woodspring
Twice a month, on Wednesday evenings, Jeff and Sue Smith serve at Woodspring through the Outreach Ministry. Their involvement began with prayer.
“We desired to share the love of Christ with others and faithfully prayed for an opportunity to serve our community,” they recall. “When the POC truck became available and ready to be used for outreach, we knew God had opened a door for us to be His hands and feet.”
What began as an opportunity to serve soon became something deeper. As Jeff and Sue returned to Woodspring, they began forming relationships with the people they met there.
“As we get to know the residents, we quickly realize they are more than just people facing temporary hardships,” they explain. “They are our neighbors, our friends, and members of our community who have encountered difficult seasons in life.”
That recognition has shaped the way they understand both ministry and community.
“Many never imagined they would find themselves in need of assistance,” they observe. “Their stories remind us that life’s circumstances can change in an instant, and any one of us could face unexpected challenges.”
For Jeff and Sue, this awareness has made compassion more personal.
“Through these relationships, we learn the importance of compassion, grace, and understanding,” they reflect. “We are reminded not to see people for where they are today, but for who they are—individuals deserving of dignity, respect, hope, and love.”
The ministry may begin with food, but the moments that stay with them are often found in conversation.
“Most people simply want to be heard, loved, and reminded that Jesus loves them unconditionally,” they share. “They are not looking to be judged—they are looking for hope.”
Listening, kindness, and presence have become central to the way Jeff and Sue serve.
“When we treat others with kindness, compassion, and the love of Christ,” they emphasize, “it opens hearts and reminds them that they are valued and never forgotten.”
Over time, the POC truck has come to represent more than groceries.
“As we serve, we are doing more than handing out food—we are sharing the love of Jesus,” Jeff and Sue affirm. “Over time, people have come to see us not just as a truck filled with groceries, but as the Church showing up for them with compassion, kindness, and hope.”
That kind of presence is built slowly: through familiar faces, remembered names, shared prayers, and the willingness to return.
“Every smile, prayer, conversation, and act of service plants a seed in someone’s heart,” they remind us.
Jeff and Sue’s story is a reminder that boldly sharing Jesus’ love and hope does not always require a platform. Sometimes it begins in a parking lot on a Wednesday evening. Sometimes that mission looks like bringing food. Sometimes it looks like listening without judgment, seeing beyond someone’s present circumstances, or simply showing up again.
At Woodspring, that love is becoming visible not only through the food that is shared, but through the relationships being formed. The invitation is simple: to pray, to notice, to listen, and to step through the doors God opens.
Because when the Church shows up with compassion, dignity, and hope, the love of Jesus becomes visible.