On Sunday, the World Mission Society Church of God participated in a tree preservation community service project at the Loch Raven Skeet and Trap Center in Phoenix, Maryland. The tree maintenance project is a vital part of the reforestation efforts of the Gunpowder Valley Conservancy. With the help of local volunteers, the group aims to protect and preserve the Gunpowder Watershed. The watershed supplies clean water to most of Baltimore County. It stretches approximately five hundred square miles—from York, Pennsylvania up to its end point on the shores of the Chesapeake Bay.

Volunteers arrived at the site with an eager mind to help their community protect an important natural resource. The 23 members from the Church of God spent the day putting their newly learned tree maintenance skills into practice. As a result, they aimed to help the recently planted trees grow strong.

Having realized much about trees, Jimmy Nicholson, a member of the Church, spoke about the experience. “Trees allow us to breath, they provide food and shelter, they filter out toxins from the ground, water and air so that we can stay healthy,” said Jimmy. “They do so much so that we can live. Our lives and our planet completely depend on their survival. It was an amazing experience to be able to learn how to take care of the trees and to learn just how much they have been taking care of us.”

Representatives from the park-maintenance service were impressed by the members’ readiness to complete difficult tasks on such a cold and rainy day. Kim Peabody, the tree maintenance coordinator from the Gunpowder Valley Conservancy, complimented the Church of God volunteers. “Thank you so much for coming to help maintain the trees,” said Kim. “You are a really nice and enthusiastic group!”

Church members participated in the Gunpowder Park Restoration event as part of a campaign for the New Covenant Passover. Every year, the Church members celebrate the New Covenant Passover, and they begin promoting this life-giving feast a couple weeks prior to the ceremony. The New Covenant Passover is a teaching of Christ, kept by the Early Church 2,000 years ago. Furthermore, the Passover is an indispensable feast of God that allows us eternal life.

The Church of God has participated in numerous blood drives, environmental cleanups, and other social welfare projects. The members who attend the Church of God want nothing more than to glorify God through their good deeds. Globally, the Church consists of more than 2.5 million members in over 175 countries. Overall, their goal is to initiate change in the world by following the selfless path of Christ.

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