Madison Interfaith Council helps improve quality of life

MADISON – People sometimes need a ‘little help from my friends,’ and members of the Madison Interface Council have been providing that type of help to people who need it most.

Founded just over one year ago, Madison Interfaith Council held its first official meeting on Sept. 24, 2022.

“Our first project was in December of 2022, when together, we collected hygiene and snack items for indigent prisoners at North Alabama Community-Based Correction Facility and Work Release,” Charity Stratton said. The facility in Decatur on Ala. 20 is located on 11 acres with inmates participating in work release programs in Morgan, Limestone and Madison counties.

Stratton is Communication Director for the Madison Alabama Stake of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She also serves as a JustServe Specialist (justserve.org) and Secretary of Madison Interfaith Council.

“In January and February of 2023, we held a joint food drive and collected six carloads of food for the Madison annex of the Huntsville Assistance Program,” Stratton said.

During the last quarter, the council members have compiled a list of resources that each church has available to the community. “We held a Community Day of Service in September, where several congregations joined together to give service,” Stratton said. For more information about these projects, visit JustServe.org, and search for “Community Day of Service.”

Current participants in the Madison Interfaith Council are Doris Mitchell, All Nations Great House Ministry in Madison; Ruhi Hiebert, Ba’hai faith with locations in Madison County; Diana Bottin, St. Mark’s Lutheran Church in Huntsville; Eugene Folks, Grace Covenant Worship and Outreach Center in Madison; Kenric Smith, Most Merciful Jesus Catholic Church in Madison; Barlow Blake, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Madison Stake; Rasaland Richardson, Restoration Church in Madison; and Claire Strand, Messiah Lutheran Church in Madison.

“All churches in the city have received invitations by mail and email to participate,” Stratton said. “We look forward to growing the council.”

In other activity, Madison Interfaith Council recently has completed a coat drive to clothe in-need children in Madison City Schools. To donate a coat, individuals can text 256-679-8087 to schedule a drop-off time.

The mission of Madison Interfaith Council is “to work collaboratively with each other as pastors, and/or delegated representatives, of community churches to assist the needy, the afflicted and the less fortunate and improve their quality of life.”

For more information, email charitystratton@bellsouth.net.