Renaissance English poet Francis Quarles once wrote, “Flatter not thyself in thy faith in God if thou hast not charity for thy neighbor.” If a recent Mission Trip to Long Beach is any indication, this is apparently a tenet that the Garden City Community Church has taken to heart. After holding a number of fundraising events to pay for building materials and supplies, 37 students and eight adult leaders from the congregation made a short trek to the South Shore to help out a number of people still trying to recover from the devastation wrought by Hurricane Sandy. Plenty of sweat equity and considerable man hours and finances were invested in restoring a number of homes and helping to lay the foundation of the church the volunteers stayed at. It’s reaffirming to know that there are people living within the borders of Garden City for whom the proverb “Love thy neighbor” goes beyond just hearing it preached in a sermon.
— Dave Gil de Rubio
