Letter to the Editor: A church that cares

To the Editor:

It was inspiring to read in last week’s paper (The Standard, April 14, 2021) about how Iron Ridge Church was playing such an active part in the distribution of donated food. I would like to take this opportunity to call to mind several other ways that Iron Ridge has served this community in recent years.

The church had purchased the Main Feature Theater to be used not only for their church services, but also for the continued showing of movies. And then at Christmas time, after the parade, the church would open the doors of the theater for a free Christmas celebration with tons of sweets and treats, and Christmas songs delivered by their worship band. What a joyous place to be. I remember things like that. The people of Waukon remember things like that.

And don’t forget the annual Halloween Trunk or Treat that has been going on for many years. Every church may have something they’re really good at. Iron Ridge’s specialty seems to be serving the community.

I am not a member there, myself; I belong to a more traditionally-styled church in the area, but that doesn’t mean I don’t appreciate the outreaches that Iron Ridge and other great churches are doing.

Someone driving north on Ninth Street SW toward Quillin’s will see a newer building on the right. That is Iron Ridge, as the sign on the building says.

I would like to give a humble suggestion to the church’s leaders: How about adding to your sign the words, “A church that cares”? Because the people who drive past your building need to know that you are a church, and they need to know, if they don’t already, that you really do care.

There is an old church chorus from the 1970s era that says, “They will know we are Christians by our love.” I appreciate Iron Ridge Church for showing us how that love can be demonstrated.

Arthur Clocksin
Waukon