By John Warren

 

We have a hidden treasure in Orange.

In 1998, a group of faithful members of First United Methodist Church spearheaded a campaign to buy and renovate the old telephone building into a spiritual retreat center. The building was transformed into a place where groups of people could come for spiritual retreats such as The Walk to Emmaus, Chrysalis Youth Retreat and youth mission trips.

After hurricanes and storms it has been used to house rescue teams and work teams even the National Guard.

Many lives have been changed through the ministry that The Marjorie H. Malloy Spiritual Enrichment Center provides for Christians and the citizens of Orange and it’s surrounding areas.

Another spiritual retreat will be taking place there beginning in April called Acts through our Catholic sisters and brothers and even more lives will by changed and enriched by this facility.

The spiritual retreats help us keep changing lives and allow us to use the building in the in-between times to house mission teams from around the United States to help in our recovery after hurricane Harvey.

We have had teams from all over Texas, Colorado, Wisconsin, Indiana, and this week we are housing a team from the University of Massachusetts in Boston. Next week, we will have a work team from Arkansas.

Groups are reserving weeks all summer long.

The ministry that is provided by the church is a gift of love to Orange, but it comes with a cost. The work teams are so generous to send us love offerings to help defray the expenses. But it doesn’t cover the cost of utilities and building upkeep.

In the near future, the church may have to hold a number of concerts and fundraisers to keep this vital ministry going.

If you would like to help further this ministry contact me at the church. If you haven’t visited the church or The Marjorie H. Malloy Spiritual Enrichment Center it is a great ministry to get to know and support where lives are changed all the time.

If you have Harvey recovery needs or you need lawn care or leaves raked or light bulbs changed please contact the church at 886-7466 and ask for Randall Bridges.

“The King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.’ Matthew 25:40