Good Friday brings community together

Sisters Christians gathered under one roof for the annual Community Good Friday Service. Seven local clergy members officiated at Three Sisters Fellowship last Friday, March 21.

The service is held at noon to make it possible for all to attend during the lunch hour. The Easter story is recounted, with each participating minister offering thoughts and reflection about a different chapter of the story.

The special time of worship is organized and sponsored by the Sisters Ministerial Association.

The service "...communicates to believers that we have different churches but we're on the same page," said Three Sisters Fellowship pastor Mike Boswell. According to Boswell, it is important for people to realize that churches are not in competition with one another.

"This is, I think, what Jesus wanted," he said.

This year's offering was earmarked for the ministerial association's Transient Fund which regularly assists both transients and the Sisters Family Access Network (FAN).

The Sister-Camp Sherman fire district administers the transient outreach aspect of the fund for the ministerial association.

"We utilize the fire department because they are open 24/7, and so we issue the fire department vouchers for food, gas and hotel. The fire department hands them out, and we get the bill from Ray's or one of the gas stations and the hotels," he said.

In addition to the voucher program, the ministerial association also uses Transient Fund proceeds to contribute to FAN.

"We want to help people in our community, as well, not just transients. That was something we decided a year ago that we want to bless transients, but our primary call is people here in Sisters...," said pastor Boswell.

Community members may contribute to the Transient Fund by writing a check to any area church that belongs to the ministerial association. A notation should be included to earmark the donation to the Transient Fund.

Ten area churches and the Sisters-Camp Sherman fire department belong to the Sisters Ministerial Association. Pastors from these churches meet monthly.

"The purpose for us meeting together is for fellowship and for prayer, to encourage each other, to strengthen each other, because we all have different battles we are facing and we want to support each other," said pastor Boswell.

Local churches that belong to the Sisters Ministerial Association are: Calvary Chapel; Camp Sherman's Chapel of the Pines; Sisters Episcopal Church of the Transfiguration; New Hope Christian Center; Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church; Sisters Church of the Nazarene; Sisters Community Church; St. Edward the Martyr Catholic Church; and Three Sisters Fellowship.