Church opens its heart at Heaven's Closet
By Sharon Milton
The Lord continues to show the people of Emory Fellowship in Washington, D.C., different ways to reach the community. As the Christmas season approached, the Holy Spirit revealed it was time for Heaven's Closet. In the revelation, the Holy Spirit said to me, “It will be called Heaven's Closet because just like Jesus’s love, EVERYTHING is free!"
We would transform two levels of the church building into a department store and invite all in the community who are in need to come and shop for free.
The congregation was asked to donate new or gently used clothes, toys, small household appliances and so much more. All ages showed up to donate, members told friends and family and they showed up to donate; strangers who heard about it came to the church to donate. All the gifts were working together to bless our brothers and sisters in the community. Everyone was excited to be part of Heaven's Closet.
We spent the whole week sorting and preparing shoes, clothes and more for Heaven's Closet. God sent the overflow of everything. There were hundreds of shoes, clothes, appliances, many of them still new with tags on them -- air fryers, ovens, bikes, scooters, coats, books, luggage, purses and so much more. Just like Jesus love all of it was free.
The gym, fellowship hall, and the entire first level were transformed into different departments, clothes neatly on racks, folded on the table or displayed on the walls. Men, women and children, there is something for everyone at Heaven's Closet.
The doors of Heaven's Closet would opened Saturday, Dec.10, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. I arrived at the church at 7:55 a.m. and was surprised to see that the line for Heaven’s Closet had already started to form. The Lord was letting us know that there is a great need in the community, a need that the church has been tasked to meet. By 9 a.m., the line stretched around the block from Quackenboo Street to Georgia Avenue. Different ages, races, and genders stood in the cold for hours. They had a need and had heard about Heaven's Closet.
The body of the church had joined together to bless others and God was in the midst of it all. We were taking the church to the streets; we had heard the cry of the people and God had provided.
Volunteers stood at different departments ready to assist each shopper. The doors opened at 11 a.m., we said a prayer for everyone on the line, welcomed them to Heaven's Closet and the blessing began.
We handed out tickets and directed each family to a department. We laughed, joked and fellowshipped with the community. We watched as families came out smiling, grateful with bags of clothes, appliances, and so much more. They were grateful and could not stop saying “thank you." All I could say “To God be all the Glory!" This is the work of Jesus! We encountered children who stood in line with sad faces because their parents could not afford the bikes or other toys, but then they went into the doors of Heaven's Closet, came back with a big smile because they now had new bikes and toys -- all free! Many who had no winter coats, and came out with brand new coats for free!
I watched as a little girl held on tightly to her mom, shy and looking sad. I asked her what was her favorite thing to do. In a small soft voice, she said “Play with my dolls.” I asked her, “Do you play in your doll house? She put her head back down and whispered, “I don’t have a doll house”. I told her well there is a huge doll house inside waiting for you, please go inside and tell them Pastor Milton said you can have it. Her face lit up, her smile got big, her momma could not stop smiling. They had been praying for a doll house and God sent them to Heaven's Closet. There are so many testimonies to come from Heaven's Closet.
By the time we closed the doors at 2 p.m. we had served over 500 families, Praise be to God!
I believe some who came to Heaven's Closet had lost hope, some had been asking God how they would make it; some had to choose between buying clothes or food. Some had no money to purchase toys for their children, some without homes, some with homes but no resources for anything else, many living paycheck to paycheck. Some who knew Jesus, but were losing hope. Some who did not know Jesus but were introduced to His love. Many wondered how God would make a way. I believe families were praying, seeking, asking, and God directed them to Heaven's Closet. Some needed proof that Jesus is real, so God sent them to Heaven's Closet to see the love of God.
We were not seeking membership, we were letting the Holy Spirit lead us to make disciples of Jesus Christ. We were intentional not to make Heaven's Closet a “transactional event." We were not asking for anything in return, we were simply being obedient to the prompting of the Holy Spirit and showing the love of Christ.
The Emory Fellowship is seeking to go to the ends of the earth, anywhere God leads us to spread the Good News. There is more to come as we build relationships, we believe there is no church without community, we are one. We seek to do ministry with the 20011 and beyond.
Some from Heaven's Closet came to worship with us the next day, others came to the food pantry the next week. I believe someone went on to tell someone else about a man named Jesus, whose love and light they saw at Heaven's Closet. To God be the Glory!