Servant’s Heart Ministries Collects And Distributes Donated Items

By LYDIA BERGLAR
News Editor

“Jesus Himself said, ‘I came here to serve,’ so we’re here to serve as well,” said Nelson Ferrer, executive director of Servant’s Heart Ministries. Ferrer and his wife, Amelia, see meeting people’s tangible needs by providing free food, furniture, clothing, and toiletries as a way to imitate Christ.

He continued, “I think that’s one of the greatest ways we can show people Jesus. The Bible says, ‘By this, they will know that you’re my disciples: by how you love one another.’ It’s so simple. At the end of the day, we don’t want to be known; we want Him to be known.”

The ministry collects all kinds of gently used items at a warehouse on McKaig Road and offers them free to anyone in need. They don’t accept mattresses, broken items, or food that can spoil, but other than that, Servant’s Heart is a great option for people to drop off extra items that might benefit someone else.

Ferrer said, “Stuff is donated on a daily basis. We bring it in the warehouse, and about 100-200 people come in here on Saturdays to get stuff for free.”

They chose the name “Servant’s Heart” because, in Ferrer’s words, “One day, you and I will meet our Creator. He’s not going to tell us, ‘Well done, good and faithful writer, worker, pastor, worshiper.’ No, it’s, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant.’”

Three years ago, the Ferrers moved from Florida to Dade County with their three young sons. They had planted and pastored a church in Florida for seven years but felt led to move to the broader Chattanooga area in order to serve people in need.

They discovered Trenton, began learning about the needs in the community, and visited several local churches. Ferrer worked for a property management company when they first moved here before starting his own handyman business.

In January of this year, the ministry’s name was registered with the state, and someone offered them free use of the warehouse that is now home base for the ministry. On Sunday mornings, a worship service is held at the warehouse.

The Ferrers hadn’t planned on planting a new church, explaining, “It wasn’t the plan. The plan was just to serve the community and serve people. The Bible says true religion is this: to serve the widows and the orphans (James 1:27), so that’s what we’re doing, taking care of the marginalized and forgotten by whatever means: tangible, spiritual, emotional.”

While not tied to any denomination, the ministry is overseen by New Covenant Christian Center in Flat Rock, Ala. Ferrer explained, “We called Bishop Jamie Moore at NC3 because we need another body to umbrella this body so that we’re not just flying solo, so it’s not just whatever I say goes.”

The Ferrers know that meeting immediate, tangible needs only goes so far, so they also plan to offer workshops about practical life skills like budgeting, finding jobs, and creating resumes. “We have to help people help themselves,” explained Ferrer, “but they have to want to help themselves. This is always a hand up, not a handout.”

When someone stops by the ministry in need of an item, the Ferrers have the opportunity to ask about other ways to help and walk alongside people. When the ministry has extra funds available, they are able to help with needs like power bills on a case-by-case basis, always careful to use discernment (and never handing out money directly).

Ferrer said that when someone first comes to the ministry with a need, he asks if they are connected to a church. “That has to be the connection: You need a church, you need a pastor, you need somebody that’s going to shepherd over you. If your sink is leaking, there’s probably a plumber sitting next to you at church. I try to make that connection. If they don’t have a church, that’s when I minister to them.”

The Ferrers believe that churches, ministries, and community programs can better serve the community by connecting with each other. Ferrer said, “We’re not here to reinvent the wheel. If there’s another group that’s doing something well in this community, we are going to promote them.”

The Sentinel asked if the family is aware of the many existing programs and ministries in the area, and they knew all of the ones the Sentinel listed (including Dade First Family Connection, the Dade Helps! Facebook page, free food programs at several churches, and the Tri-State Food Pantry, to name a few).

They’ve also talked with a family crisis center in a neighboring county, worked with Hunter’s Salvage Grocery, and Ferrer has hired men going through A Hand Up Ministry to work with his handyman business.

Ferrer said, “We’re probably not aware of many others, but we try to be so that even if we can’t provide something, we can point you in the right direction.”

In Florida, Ferrer deeply appreciated being part of a network of lead pastors from many denominations who met together once a month. He would love to see something like that happen in and around Dade County, saying “Far too often, there might be three churches within a mile radius, but there’s zero connection between them. We need to break down those walls.”

If you have items to donate, stop by 1414 McKaig Road at any time. The Ferrers request that people leave donations in the bins and/or under the awning outside of the warehouse so they are protected from the elements. For furniture/large items, send photos to the Ferrers rather than leaving these at the warehouse.

The ministry is happy to welcome volunteers to help sort and/or deliver items, and financial donations can also be made online.

If you are in need of assistance, email myservantsheartministries@gmail.com, call or text 423-254-0481, visit www.myservantsheart.com, or message the Facebook page “Servant’s Heart.” There is no application process or income requirement.