Saturday, October 6, was Servant Saturday, a day when 380 members of Royal Redeemer Lutheran Church showed that they were the hands and feet of God. Volunteers with their cleaning supplies, rakes, shovels and the like, tackled 40 projects here in North Royalton and throughout the area.
Some of the locations where volunteers helped out were area nursing homes, Habitat for Humanity, the Cleveland Pregnancy Center, the Brunswick Family Center, and the Second Mile Thrift Store in Berea, the Parma Animal Shelter and the Gardenview Horticultural Park.
That’s not all, though. Many North Royalton locations were on the list including the North Royalton Community Garden (which provides fresh produce for the food pantry) and lots and lots of yard work for residents who need that helping hand.
“This event is one of the greatest ways we can share Christ’s love with our neighbors,” said Senior Pastor John Zahrte. “It is so important to be the blessing to individuals and various service organizations throughout the area. There is a clear gospel call to care for and show mercy to others.”
Servant Saturday is a bi-annual event, which takes place once in the fall and again in the spring. Members gather in the morning at the church for breakfast and prayer, and then hundreds of their faithful members head out into the surrounding communities.
North Royalton Ward One Councilman John Nickell, a member of Royal Redeemer, and three other men helped to construct a 35-foot-long wheelchair ramp for a Parma man who is having a hard time getting in and out of his home. “Working on a project like this makes you feel fulfilled,” said Nickell. “I’m helping to extend God’s love and caring. This man was so appreciative. It helps to take your minds off the troubles you may be having.” While the ramp wasn’t completed that day, Nickell and his team will return until the job is completed.
It’s been a year since Kim Faust was able to participate in Servant Saturday, dealing with ankle surgery. She was able to return to her favorite place on Servant Saturday, the Parma Animal Shelter. “Instead of having that second cup of coffee and watching television on a Saturday morning, why not help and put a smile on someone else’s face and show God’s love.” Kim was disappointed that she was not able to help the people who work at the shelter and the animals for the past year. “I felt that I was missing out. Now, I feel that I’m giving from the heart and sharing God’s love with others.”
When volunteers returned to Royal Redeemer to wrap up the day, they were called upon to do one more task. October 6 was also “Stuff the Bus” Day, sponsored by the North Royalton School Bus Drivers outside of the North Royalton Giant Eagle. Two school buses were filled with food for the North Royalton Food Pantry, which is located at Royal Redeemer. The volunteers helped to unload the school buses and store the food for the upcoming Holiday Food Basket program.
Food Pantry Coordinator Kat Lacinski gave credit to Royal Redeemer volunteers, Jerry Beckrest and Kim Hittle. “Jerry is a North Royalton School bus driver and enlisted the help of four other drivers (Colleen Schaf, Karin Woford, Greg Hovan and Monica Trunzo) in the Stuff the Bus effort. The Servant Saturday volunteers were such a big help.”
The next Servant Saturday event is scheduled for May 4, 2019.

By JOE JASTRZEMSKI
Contributing Writer