IMPACTING your local community...

As a church that strives to live outside the walls, House of Praise has committed to monthly service projects in our River Valley community. Just in the last couple of months, we have put kindness into action through such events as:

-Assisting in a privately owned, new start-up restaurant remodel
-Two “Camp Neighborhoods” where we bring “VBS” to the neighborhood
-Block Party, with another coming up this weekend
-Susan G Komen’s Paint the Park Pink on the Green (breast cancer awareness and fundraiser)
-Alzheimer’s Association Memory Walk
-Free café night for the local University
-Remodeling the teachers’ lounge at Pike Elementary

Pike Elementary is one of 18 Elementary Schools in the Fort Smith district and one of 7 Elementary and Secondary schools within a ten mile radius of House of Praise. The north side of town is noted as having generally lower income households, extreme cultural and racial diversity, and experiencing the greatest need.

As a function of my secular job, I have been assigned Pike Elementary as my school-based station for providing therapy services. So, as the “Missions And Placement Services” Director of House of Praise, it was natural for me to look at Pike for opportunities to serve.


Pike was part of a district wide school remodeling project last year. They received a “new” lounge, but it was never fully finished. Over the last year, they have replaced the refrigerator and microwave as they were using older models that were not of high quality. Even the replaced microwave was over ten years old. The lounge consisted of a small, square room with a few folding tables, hand me down chairs, and blank grey walls. Hardly a relaxing and rewarding place for our educators to enjoy their short lunch breaks.

So, House of Praise worked with the school district to have the project approved. On 10/23/10 twelve House of Praise-ers sacrificed their Saturday to minister to the teachers of Pike Elementary. We painted, cleaned, stocked their cabinets, provided a new microwave, brought in auxiliary lounge seating, and decorated in a refreshing and relaxing beach motif. It was a complete transformation.

The first day back to school, 10/25/10, all I have heard are shrieks of glee coming from down the hall as teachers open the lounge door to be surprised by their new space. What a rewarding experience to see the bliss and thankfulness on their faces. Such a small gift for the ones who serve our community every day.