Three Crosses Church takes the call to minister to and serve the community and the world seriously, and this can only be done with the great volunteers that lead and assist in these ministries. Benton First has a Missions Committee who works together with our congregation, as well as the local, national, and global community to serve as the hands and feet of Jesus. As opportunities to serve are presented to the committee, the committee begins the process of engaging the congregation along with the Holy Spirit to ensure we are serving in God’s will. The Holy Spirit calls all Christians to love, extend grace, and serve throughout the world. The church in mission is the community that embodies Christ’s transforming and reconciling love.
We invite you to both utilize these ministries in your own life and to also pray about where you can serve and bless other as well.
Eighteen years ago, a little girl told her teacher that her family didn’t have any food. She and her three sisters were hungry, could someone please help them? Someone could, and that was the beginning of Helping Hands Food Pantry. God had a plan for a ministry for Benton First and it come through the voice of a little girl. Jesus took five loaves of bread and two fish and was able to feed five thousand people. Each year Helping Hands feeds an estimated 4000 people who are in need from our community. Because of God’s generosity, we have never had to close our doors because we didn’t enough food to give to the families who needed it.
Before the pandemic, we were able to allow our patrons to come inside for a devotional and fellowship before receiving food. Now we load their groceries outside, but we have Stephen Ministers provide spiritual guidance if needed as they go to each car and offer a word of friendship and prayer. Helping Hands provides food and essential items to persons in need. Many of our patrons are the elderly and disabled living on Social Security and those working for minimum wage. However, Covid and the tornado disaster has brought us many more clients.
We are not just a one day a week operation. We have volunteers on Monday picking up and stocking food and on Tuesdays we have a group that goes to the Paducah Area Development District to get food from Second Harvest. Unfortunately, because of the December tornado in Mayfield, PADD was destroyed. This left us without the Second Harvest and our source for meat, bread, and desserts. It has been difficult to make up for this lack of resource, but we are maintaining by using canned meat and Helping Hands volunteers providing fresh meat. The first week of February left our shelves almost bare. We are determined to get through this crisis until PADD is up and running again.
If you know someone who needs help with food, if you need help with food, or you want to help, the food pantry is a wonderful ministry.
“I was hungry, and you fed me, I was thirsty, and you gave me drink.” Matthew 25:40
The Women’s Ministry is called to equip the women of Three Crosses Church to identify and live Christ’s purpose and direction for their lives. Membership is open to any woman who indicates her desire to belong and to participate in the global mission of the church. Women who join the Women's Ministry benefit from spiritual, educational, and intellectual growth as well as gain leadership experience and meet fellow believers who are involved in mission in a number of ways.
The Women’s Ministry Team hosts Bible Studies as well as events and retreats to provide fellowship and spiritual growth opportunities. It is our hope that these activities will serve as vehicles for women to develop a closer relationship with Christ and with each other.
If you would like to learn more about what Three Crosses Church Women's Ministry is all about, please contact the church office at 270-527-3990. Your membership would be a blessing to us and the community we minister to.
Stephen Ministers are lay congregation members trained to provide one-to-one care to those experiencing a difficult time in life, such as grief, divorce, job loss, chronic or terminal illness, or relocation.
Stephen Ministers come from all walks of life, but they all share a passion for bringing Christ’s love and care to people during a time of need.
Three Crosses Church had a vision to fulfill a growing need within our community: Quality Preschool and After-school Care along with Summer Programming options when school is not in session. We realize parents are searching for a safe and affordable way for their children to receive the educational and social skills training needed to prepare them for Kindergarten. We also recognize the need for child care after school until parents get off work as well as options for working parents during the summer months.
In response to these needs, Three Crosses Church developed a number of programs under our Kids In Training Enrichment Center: A quality Preschool Program, our Kids In Training After-school Child Enrichment Programs, and two separate programs for the Summer Months in our KIT Kamp and Kiddie Kamp programs. We invite you to explore the KIT website and learn more about our many programs. We would be happy to arrange a meeting with our KIT Director, Cathy Johnson, to personally to discuss your child's thriving future in our Preschool, Afterschool, or Summer Care Programs.
The Dinner Belles Ministry Shares the love of Christ by providing meals for those who are experiencing illness, recovery from surgery, or celebrating the birth of a new child. Call the church office to volunteer to join Dinner Belles as we could always use another helping hand.
Great Commission Day originated at Benton First Methodist Church many years ago in the 1970’s, following an annual conference held in Paducah KY. Participants of that that annual conference were asked to go into the local community to serve in several mission opportunities. The conference attendees from Benton First were so inspired from serving in Missions on that day that upon their return home, a team was formed. They worked together to develop a day our entire congregation would celebrate missions and serve on mission projects, calling it Great Commission Day!
This tradition has continued and is a day we come together to celebrate serving as the Lord’s hands and feet in our community. This annual day has been used by the Benton First UMC congregation to work together with others, as a united congregation of believers, to reach out to those in need in our community that may have not experienced the unconditional love of God in their lives. Great Commission Day has grown dynamically and today is observed with other neighboring churches in an all-inclusive effort to serve our community for Jesus!!! The outreach and mission ministries that are highlighted on Great Commission Day continue to grow throughout the years.
Some ministries focused on in past GCDs include:
GriefShare is a grief support group that meets weekly for 13 weeks. There are three key parts to GriefShare: a video seminar, small group discussion and a personal workbook. The group is led by caring facilitators who have been specifically trained in GriefShare. You will find the group to be a warm, caring environment and will come to see the group as an "oasis" on your journey through grief. You can join at any time. Please call the church office at 270-527-3990 for more information.
Stephen Ministry has been making a difference in people's lives for over 20 years. It is a lay caring ministry. Stephen Ministers are trained lay people who "walk beside" people during crisis times in a confidential one-on-one relationship for as long as needed. It is a Christ centered ministry so Stephen Ministers are available to pray with people, ready to listen and offer encouragement and love. Please call the church office at 270-527-3990 if you are interested in Stephen Ministry.
GIVE
