Recently my good friend and support; Dennis Baril featured the BCC Blessing Barns in a feature article for the Attleboro Sun Chronicle.  Great job, Den; thanks for reminding us of the goodness of God toward all humanity.

A Barn for the Ages

BY THE REV. DENNIS BARIL FOR THE SUN CHRONICLE |“I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.”

– Matthew 25:40

A visit to nearby Mendon reveals a church and a compassionate ministry that’s been making a real difference in its community.

(Photos courtesy of the Rev. Dennis Baril)  

Vintage goods are arranged in the Milford Blessing Barn in a way that invites the most discerning of shoppers to enjoy a unique shopping experience.

We recently returned to New England to visit our children and grandchildren when Pastor Phil McCutchen invited us to attend Bethany Community Church in Mendon, Mass. (400 members) for Compassion Sunday (http://bccma.org/). I was aware of the ministry that he and his wife, Cheri, had started back in 2003, but I was unprepared for what would unfold before us that Sunday and over the next several days.

When hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans 11 years ago, McCutchen placed a tractor-trailer in the church parking lot with the sign “Katrina relief.”

“I knew if we could fill it in a week, I had church members who would get it to New Orleans,” McCutchen said. But instead of one trailer, in seven days they filled six trucks with donations from the community. That experience gave birth to Compassion New England (CNE).

McCutchen and his wife reasoned that if people had that many excess possessions to give away, maybe they would also give as freely to a local ministry for those in need. They also thought that if they sold vintage goods they could use the profits to help meet needs in their community. With new inspiration and vision, The Blessing Barn, a thrift store, started in the church two years before Katrina, began to grow.

By 2008, the operation outgrew the church thrift store. They then rented 5,000 square feet of retail space. Along with members of the church, they began to envision a more dignified thrift store. They believed that people in need should not have to sort through “vintage” goods as if it was junk.

They began to organize and display donated goods attractively and professionally for a unique shopping experience. They also decided that every customer and donor would receive a summary report of the ministry services they offered with details about how many people had been helped in the previous year.

Today, three moves later, the Blessing Barn has two Massachusetts locations – in Mendon and Milford – with 65,000 square feet of retail space. They are well-known in their community for freely giving clothes, furniture, and goods to those in need. However, they are equally well-known as a fine vintage store that attracts sophisticated shoppers from throughout the region.

Last year, CNE invested $243,811 into their community. The Crisis Giving program helped 509 individuals and 119 families were served through their food pantry. Thanksgiving baskets were distributed to 75 families and 28 families benefited from the Christmas Blessing Tree.

This impact is impressive, but there is more.

Located within each store is a large ministry area. This space was used for a GED prep class for 24 people and a Christian 12-step program, Celebrate Recovery, for 27 others. Another 12 individuals participated in crisis counseling. Qualifying community groups are invited to meet free of charge in these spaces as well. It’s exciting to report that this year all of these community ministries will significantly exceed all previous records.

Three years ago, they created a space in the Milford Blessing Barn called “The Happy Place.” Retaining qualified staff members and volunteers CNE began offering free, short period, care for stay home caregivers of handicapped children and adults.

“These are people who never get a day off,” said Cheri McCutchen. “We knew it was a need in our community to help those dedicated to caring for some of our neediest neighbors.”

Last year 96 individuals volunteered 1,850 hours. The Happy Place will be offering overnight respite in the form of 9 sleep away camps starting this month.

CNE continues to look for new ways to be a change agent for the good in the community. This has led to the expansion of an existing internship program to include opportunities for women who have been previously incarcerated and need job training as well as life skills.

“The interns are given hope for their future while they become healthy contributors to society and help build a strong local community. We are local need-local aid,” Cheri McCutchen said.

She’s the leader of CNE and her husband oversees his very busy church, which also sponsors a kindergarten through grade 12 school. “We know that CNE is not a church; it is an important ministry but, we are a local church where God is worshipped and lives are changed,” McCutchen said.

You can find information about how to visit or donate to the Blessing Barn at http://www.compassionne.com/. It’s a great opportunity to support a local effort that’s truly making a difference in our greater community.

 

THE REV. DENNIS BARIL is the retired senior pastor of Community Covenant Church in Rehoboth. He can be reached at dennis@communitycovenant.org. His On The Road columns are published monthly on The Sun Chronicle’s religion pages as part of our Voices series featuring members of the area clergy.