Hindu and Muslim shopkeepers in New York City caught a glimpse of something extraordinary on a cold, blustery day, according to a December 2014 Biblical Recorder report. North Carolina Baptists had travelled more than 500 miles to hand out jackets, parkas, raincoats, pull-overs and other coats to underdressed N.Y. residents. The shopkeepers were impressed that Christians would work so hard to help local residents in need, the report said.
The Great Commission Partnerships office (GCP) of the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina (BSC) is partnering once again with the Metro New York Baptist Association (MNYBA) to organize an outreach event Nov. 12-15 called Coats for the City.
The event’s website said the goal is to distribute 30,000 coats, along with a Bible or copy of a movie about the life of Jesus, called “The Jesus Film,” to impoverished residents in each of New York City’s boroughs.
To achieve the goal they are asking N.C. Baptists to donate new or gently used coats from now until Oct. 5. There are 12 drop-off sites across the state (see list below), and a booth will be dedicated to coat collection at the BSC annual meeting Nov. 2-3.
Donated coats should be sorted into men’s, women’s and children’s styles and placed into heavy-duty plastic bags, according to the event’s website. GCP also requests two-dollar donations with each coat to help cover the cost of Bibles and copies of The Jesus Film.
Coats and cash aren’t they only items N.C. Baptists can donate to those in need.
Time and presence are valued gifts as well. Volunteers may travel to N.Y. to help distribute the coats, along with hot coffee, tea and other warm beverages. Each volunteer needs to arrive in New York City by the evening of Nov. 12, according to GCP. A training session is scheduled for Nov. 13, as well as preparation for distribution the following day.
Each volunteer should be prepared to pray and share the gospel with people they encounter on Nov. 14.
The MNYBA has lodging available for 40 volunteers and can arrange other housing as needed. Volunteers will be responsible for their own transportation and lodging cost.
In the multicultural borough of Queens, church planter Boto Joseph, local church members and volunteers set up tables loaded with coats and welcomed long lines of local residents in 2014.
“It’s Christmas, and we’re celebrating the birth of Christ by giving out free coats,” he said, according to a report by Mike Creswell, BSC Cooperative Program consultant.
Dale Fisher, associational missionary for the Caldwell Baptist Association, said “We were set up in front of a neighborhood market and kept having to dust snow off the coats that were on display. It was amazing to see community residents come out in the snow to select coats and hear the gospel of Christ presented to them. … At the Queens location, it had been announced that coats would be available at 9 a.m. that Saturday morning, but people were waiting in line around 7 a.m.
“This is tremendous project that helps to meet physical and spiritual needs. It’s a pleasure to participate in this worthwhile mission opportunity.”
“This looks great,” said a well-bundled Robert Steele from Green Street Baptist Church in High Point, who brought five volunteers to N.Y.
“We’re giving coats to Hindus and Muslims, people literally from all over the world. We’re giving them coats and hot tea and, more importantly … the love of Christ in a demonstrable way.”
2015 Coats for the City collection centers:
Western North Carolina
Buncombe Baptist Association Collection Center:
Buncombe Baptist Resource Center
227 Hazel Mill Road, Asheville, NC 28806
(828) 252-1864
Collection Times: Mon.-Thurs. 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Sandy Run Baptist Association
Collection Center:
Sandy Run Baptist Association Resource Center
186 Puzzle Creek Road, Bostic, NC 28018;
(828) 245-2613
Collection Times: Mon.-Thurs. 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Catawba River Baptist Association (CRBA)
Collection Center: CRBA Resource Center
1812 US 70 East Hwy., Morganton, NC 28655
(828) 437-0137
Collection Times: Mon.-Fri. 8:30 a.m.-12 p.m., 1 p.m.-4 p.m.
Truett Baptist Association
Collection Center: Truett Baptist Association
2235 NC 141 Hwy, Marble, NC 28905
(828) 837-5401
Collection Times: Mon.-Thurs. 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Caldwell Baptist Association
Collection Center: Caldwell Baptist Association
208 Nuway Circle, Lenoir, NC 28645
(828) 758-4081
Collection Times: Mon.-Fri. 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Central North Carolina
Rowan Baptist Association
Collection Center: Enon Baptist Church
1875 Enon Church Road, Salisbury, NC 28147
(704) 657-3284
Collection Times: Mon.-Thurs. 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m.
Pilot Mountain Baptist Association
Collection Center: Pilot Mountain Baptist Association
1105 Long Drive, Winston-Salem, NC 27106
(336) 759-7622
Collection Times: Mon.-Thurs. 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
Metrolina Baptist Association
Collection Center: Metrolina Baptist Association
328 West Carson Blvd., Charlotte, NC 28203
(704) 375-1197
Collection Times: Mon.-Thurs. 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Tar River Baptist Association
Collection Center: Tar River Baptist Association
92 NC 56 Hwy E, Louisburg, NC 27549
(919) 496-7172
Collection Times: Mon.-Fri. 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
Eastern North Carolina
First Baptist Church Dublin
Collection Center: First Baptist Church Dublin
7275 Albert Street, Dublin, NC 28332
(910) 862-2277
Collection Times: Mon.-Fri. 8 a.m.-4 p.m., Sun. 5 p.m.-8 p.m.
Bladen Baptist Association
Collection Center: Bladen Baptist Association
137 Mercer Road, Elizabethtown, NC 28337
(910) 862-3496
Collection Times: Mon.-Thur. 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
South Roanoke Baptist Association
Collection Center: South Roanoke Baptist Association
606 Country Club Drive, Greenville, NC 27834
(252) 756-4332
Collection Times: Mon.-Fri. 9 a.m.-4 p.m.