With Covid-19 restrictions already lifted in their area, Iglesia Ni Cristo (Church Of Christ) members from the Local Congregation of Patuxent River, Ecclesiastical District of Washington DC enjoyed the bright and warm spring morning of May 22, 2021 cleaning around the neighborhood.

After the local congregation leadership coordinated with the Department of Public Works & Transportation of St. Mary’s County, the brethren cleaned the Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR) Boulevard, Sector No. 2, removing trash and debris. This stretch of FDR Blvd., located between Maryland (MD) Routes 4 and 235, is home to the Harris Teeter Shopping Center and numerous apartment and condominium complexes.

Seeing the brethren’s efforts, the people in the community expressed their appreciation through the occasional honks of car horns and “Thank yous” from passersby.

Brother Robert Harris, Buklod congregation president, said, “The brethren and their families did a great job. The children also showed up in force and actively participated in the clean-up. To God be the glory for the successful completion of another community service activity. We thank Him for the love and unity of the Christian Family Organizations and the opportunity to serve our fellowmen.”

Meanwhile, a few weeks earlier, Church members from respective local congregations went to the house of worship compound of the Local Congregation of Washington, DC to unite in donating blood under the Church’s INC Giving Project in cooperation with the American Red Cross.

One of them, Sister Nydel Ibarra, KADIWA officer from the Local Congregation of Anne Arundel, and among the first-time blood donors, said, “Donating blood makes me feel proud to be a [Church] member … the Church really cares about others … helping people or a neighbor out.” — With research assistance from Archie Talens