By CAROLINE CARMICHAEL / Staff Writer

New Life Community Church held its annual service day on Oct. 7, offering at least 12 service projects giving back to the Chilton County community.

Kimberly Lyn, who has been a member at New Life Community Church for about 10 years, said the service projects aim to exemplify the “hands and feet” of Christ at work in the community.

“We have a large focus in our church on widows and orphans. We’re very much involved in adopting children,” Lyn said.

Lyn said service projects by the church often provide for the needs of such community members, striving to demonstrate God’s love for the individuals served.

According to Lyn, each project is conducted by individual “Life Groups,” or small groups, within the church.

Lyn’s group, called “JOY,” which is an acronym for “Just Older Youth,” focused its service efforts on giving back to the Clanton Police Department.

The group assembled 40 “cutesy” goody bags at the church on the morning of Oct. 7, and then delivered them to the Clanton Police Department once completed.

“We went down there and told them how much we appreciated them — let them know that, yes, we care about you,” Lyn said.

Lyn said the goody items were selected carefully, each item tagged with a specific trait of police work that the group members were grateful for.

“There were probably a dozen themes in there,” Lyn said.

Some examples included:

• Life Savers: “Because they are a life saver.”
• 100 Grand Gold Bars: “Because we know you don’t do it for the money.”
• Peppermint patties: “To keep cool in tight situations.”
• Laffy Taffy: “Because we need you to keep your sense of humor.”
• Gum: “Because sometimes you just need to hold it all together.”

“You know, it might not be much, but we wanted to show them some appreciation,” Lyn said.

New Life Community Church offers and “upbeat” service and holds wide its doors to visitors, Lyn said.

The church is located at 1618 Seventh Street North in Clanton.