Some community-minded folks from Peabody United Methodist Church are going to provide a service for the community on Sunday. Calling their regular Sunday morning worship time “Faith in ACTION,” the congregation will meet at the church at 9:30 a.m. for a brief service and then spread out around town with pickups, trailers, and tools to clean up the mess that winter left behind.

We have residents who still need help hauling limbs and branches that fell during the Thanksgiving week ice storm. Others could use help picking up trash and debris that blew in on winter winds. Still others might need a garden space cleared or a pile of rotting leaves swept off the front porch. If you want to be sure you get assistance, call the Methodist Church at (620) 983-2154 and leave your name and address so that work crews do not miss you.

Church members who are not physically able to haul debris will remain at the church and assemble health and school kits for distribution through Methodist Committee on Relief. Health kits are given to individuals and families who have been displaced by natural disasters or man-made conflicts. School kits are provided worldwide for students who do not have basic supplies to help them learn.

At noon, everyone will gather back at the church to share a meal and enjoy the fellowship that comes with serving others.

Pretty nice idea, huh? They recognized a need in the community and are getting together to meet the need. Some of the information I saw encouraged church members to bring a friend. That leads me to believe that if you are not a church member, but would like to help, they would accept your offer in heartbeat — see the above phone number.

In addition, get this. The Peabody Dreamers Club has already committed to helping with this project and extending community cleanup days to the third Saturday morning of every month, all year. See? It is contagious. If you think this is something you can help accomplish, sign up to help. Peabody Dreamers Club can be reached through Linda Martinez at (620) 983-4040.

Another nudge in the right direction might be to involve some of our student groups in these projects. Leaders, can you bring it?

I do love this community, but after 45 years there are times when I think, “Why did I stay?” However, there also are times when I can tell you exactly why I stayed. This is one of them. Thanks to everyone who shows up to make a difference. You rock!

—Susan marshall