Pastor Randy Williams has led Parkway Christian Fellowship since the 1990s, and the church has been a source of light for its community in East Birmingham. About 12 years ago, Pastor Williams reached out to Christian Service Mission to obtain food for a food pantry event. Parkway had hosted these events for many years before Pastor Williams arrived. However, the congregation realized that while hundreds of people were coming to the food distribution, it lacked connection. Parkway began brainstorming ways to improve its outreach while still meeting vital needs. They decided they would no longer host their food pantry events on Saturdays but Sundays after their church service. Those attending the church service were invited to stay after to participate in the food outreach. After this change, participation dropped by two-thirds. Yet- this has enabled the congregation to build close-knit relationships with those participating. These relationships have led to the opportunity for Parkway to assist people with housing needs, healthcare, and funerals for loved ones. In other words, Parkway realized the importance of relationships in transforming someone’s life and began doing life with those they were serving. Parkway understood that relationships must come first for the Gospel to be life-giving to others. In the words of Pastor Williams, “We wish every story could be a homerun story of life change, but even so, we are still looking for them.” Every month representatives from Parkway Christian Fellowship come to Christian Service Mission to get food boxes to distribute. Parkway is engaged in relationships, and it has served not only their community but their church well. CSM looks forward to partnering with Parkway Christian Fellowship for many years to come.
