Better Together
Five Churches. One Sunday Morning. Over 4,000 seeds packed.
What would it be like if all five churches worshiped together on the first Sunday of Lent? This question lingered among a core group of pastors and elders as they imagined not only gathering in one sanctuary for worship, but also packing seeds and sharing a meal.
Four years ago, our group of five churches began meeting bimonthly to carry out shared ministry and mission in the community. Our collaborative ministry continued to grow, and we eventually adopted the name Better Together.
We have participated in typical combined church efforts, such as pulpit swaps, weekly Bible studies, and shared mission work. What makes us somewhat unique is that five churches do it all together, from pastors exchanging pulpits to offering a weekly Bible study led by a director of Christian education who rotates among churches. We have even combined our efforts for a denominational gathering, where members from each church led worship and prepared a shared meal for 150 participants.
We realize that joint worship services are fairly common, especially during the Lenten season, such as Ash Wednesday or Maundy Thursday. Recently, however, our five churches conducted a joint worship on a Sunday morning. We worshipped together in one sanctuary and extended our time to include intergenerational, service and fellowship.
That morning, people entered through different church doors, sat in unfamiliar pews, and found themselves beside new faces in worship. The pastors sat together, whispering about holy moments taking place within the sacred space.
The joint event included pastors, staff, elders, and members from the five churches, who together formed the worship leadership, a male quartet, a cooking team, and a childcare team that served during the worship.
The Rev. Jennifer Sensenig, Director of Church Relations for the Society of St. Andrew, preached on Matthew 4:1–11. She said, “Jesus knew hunger … he had a growling belly. He had brain fog from too few calories. He grew physically weak. He lost muscle mass due to poor nutrition. He had headaches. That is what hunger is. The temptation to turn stones into bread and feed himself was strong.”
And yet, we know our Lord did not succumb to this temptation. Jennifer reminded us of that truth, saying, “Jesus is physically vulnerable and weak in the desert, yet so strong is love against the devil.”
The same powerful and humble love present in the wilderness with our Lord resides within each of us through the gift of the Holy Spirit and calls us to share what we have.
Whenever we share simple gifts like food with others, we bear witness to the power of love that restrains a scarcity mindset and builds upon the truth of abundance found in our good and gracious God.
Alongside her roles as preacher and biblical scholar, Jennifer spoke from the heart about hunger. She said, “The Society of St. Andrew addresses two American weaknesses: our broken system of plentiful good food with far too much waste and hungry neighbors.” She added, “We never try to do it alone.”
She went on to name the collective and relational wisdom found in partnerships with farmers, gleaning teams, churches, truckers, food pantries, shelters, and soup kitchens. Through these partnerships, mission agencies like the Society of St. Andrew help us see our hungry neighbors and are motivated by the love of Christ to share.
We brought all we had heard about hunger to the Lord’s Table. By taking the broken bread and the poured cup, we witnessed the abundance of God, recognized the one body of Christ, and felt the Holy Spirit move among us.
At the benediction, Jennifer offered seed-packing instructions and encouraged everyone to sit at a table with friends we knew and some we would like to know better. Soon, every table was full, and the hall hummed with conversation.
Participants began placing a scoop of radish or cucumber seeds into small bags. After we had sealed each bag and placed a label on the front, children moved from table to table collecting the completed seed packets and carrying them to the counters at the front of the room.
The seed-packing activity became a meaningful, hands-on project. Several participants shared how powerful it was for worship to flow directly into service, with a shared focus on hunger connecting the two. Many expressed that within only a few hours, they were able to play a small part in addressing hunger in their community and beyond.
Between scoops of seeds, the people took time to discuss what they had heard in worship. Their shared worship experience helped them specify what they liked and identify the differences they had noticed.
One man sat next to a couple who were members of the church hosting the joint event. He said, “I have lived in this town for over fifty years, and this is the first time I have ever been in your sanctuary. It is beautiful.”
The couple responded with gratitude and shared how much they enjoyed seeing all the new faces in worship. Their conversation continued as they discussed the beautiful music and the children’s message, which included a game they had played long ago.
In just forty-five minutes, more than four thousand seed packets were prepared. Some seed packets remained at Embrace Waynesboro for their community garden, while the rest were sent to farmers such as Dorothy Leonard, who manages Midfield HOPE Community Garden in Alabama.
The seed-packing project quickly shifted to a soup-and-sandwich potluck lunch, which came together through a shared effort, as one church prepared the soup, another the sandwiches, and a third the cookies. This simple meal was one more example of God’s abundance; whenever we share what we have, there is enough for all.
The cooking team served soup, refilled drinks, and set out a variety of sandwiches and cookies. The head cook moved from table to table, checking how people were enjoying the meal. An older gentleman enjoyed a heaping spoonful of his beef and vegetable soup and then asked, “What time, and at which church should I show up next Sunday to do this again?”
Despite the large snowflakes falling outside, we felt a deep warmth inside the church building as we gathered for worship, mission, and lunch. In a time when we hear of declining church attendance and a growing number of nonbelievers, those concerns were absent that morning. Instead, we were caught up in abundant living, where scarcity had no place to take root. We experienced the power of a love we cannot experience alone.
We are not sure what God has next for our Better Together churches; however, at our last meeting, pastors and elders shared reflections and highlights from the joint event. We soon found ourselves looking ahead to the next Lenten season and penciling in March 7, 2027, on our calendars. Until that day, we will continue to serve with joy and grow in faith along the way.
Pictures taken by Silk Wheat Photography
Learn more about the good work of Society of St. Andrew at https://endhunger.org
Better Together Churches and Pastors:
Finley Memorial Presbyterian Church, Stuarts Draft - Rev. Dr. Tommy Carrico
First Presbyterian Church, Waynesboro - Rev. Samantha Coggins
Second Presbyterian Church, Waynesboro - Rev. Dr. Amy Fetterman
Smyrna Presbyterian Church, Waynesboro - Rev. Rachel Hamburger
Westminster Presbyterian Church, Waynesboro - Rev. April H. Cranford
We are grateful for the additional churches that have participated over the years as well.
April, I love this! So much better than churches slogging on alone.
So simple, so powerful! Thank you for sharing this example of worship and service.