Greater Love Outreach Ministries “Pays it forward”
Pastor Yvonne Woods doesn’t care what color of skin you have or which religious denomination you prefer. She wants only to know that you worship the same God and that you follow a spiritual path. Those criteria alone will get you a warm embrace and a welcomed invite into her church, Greater Love Outreach Ministries in Brooksville.
Woods, who became the church pastor seven years ago, is a true visionary, one who not only leads her church into worship each Sunday, but builds strong bonds in the community she serves.
Located on Cortez Boulevard behind the Seventh-day Adventist Church, Greater Love Outreach is a full-service ministry with as many as 70 active parishioners on any given Sunday.
“We are nondenominational,” said Pastor Woods, and multicultural and multi-racial. “We are very diverse. We don’t see color. We are all in one. And everyone is welcome.”
The services are very active with full worship and live music each week.
“We don’t have a scripted service,” said Deacon Edward Piper, who has worked alongside Pastor Woods for seven years.
They hold Sunday School each week beginning at 10 a.m. with regular Sunday worship service beginning at 11 a.m. They also hold a bible study group on Wednesdays, beginning at 7 p.m.
But more than traditional ministering, Greater Love Outreach spreads the word of God through paying it forward by assisting the less fortunate. Twice a week the ministry holds a food pantry, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Octavia Peterson runs the food pantry where as many as 30 people were assisted during the month of July. Depending on the size of the family, Peterson fills their bags with nonperishable items like canned soups, packaged noodles, snack foods, etc. Many of the items are donated from People Helping People as well as generous donations from the public.
Greater Love Outreach also participates in the Food Drive from the United States Postal Service. Through donations obtained from that one day of collection, the Ministry was able to stock enough items to bring them through the summer.
Summer is the most difficult time, explained Pastor Woods. Children especially are left without enough to eat since many in the community rely on free or reduced lunches at school. To offset the challenge, Greater Love Outreach also provides free lunches to needy children in collaboration with People Helping People.
Each Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., children can receive healthy bagged lunches, distributed at the Brook Haven Apartments. Several brown bags are packed and handed out each day with help of Delores Williams, the program supervisor, and 11-year-old Alysia Sanchez, who volunteers because she wants to help others.
They also hold a Blessings for Seniors each Sunday evening from 2 to 5 p.m. where as many as 100 are served from donations from local restaurants. Food is then prepared and/or distributed by volunteers of Greater Love Outreach Ministries.
Greater Love Outreach Ministries is, above all, a spiritual community that still believes in the importance of keeping God at the forefront of people’s lives. Recognizing the struggles of society as a real factor in influencing especially today’s youth, Woods works toward centralizing their foundations by teaching them to worship and serve their God and society.
It seems the commitment to spiritual giving isn’t lost in her own granddaughter, Jakaria Williams, who obtains her community service hours for high school at the church.
In addition, Octavia Williams’ two children, 12-year-old twins, Jeremy and Jeremiah Bargas, also help out, keeping the grounds clean and neat. “I want to give my children the tools they need to succeed in life,” Williams said, and to worship their God.
It takes a community to keep a society inspired and a guiding force, like Pastor Woods, to keep the focus in the right place. Octavia Williams praised her Pastor. “I want to be reachable so she can teach me. She teaches a powerful ministry,” Williams said.
“My motivation is saving souls and introducing people to Christ,” Pastor Woods said, “and letting them know who he is in their lives and who they should be worshipping and praising at all times.”
The challenge is to keep those inspired even during difficult times. “Knowing that he died for your sins, he took it all to the cross for all of us and gave us another chance. It doesn’t matter what color you are.”
The Pastors voice chokes up when she speaks of the people she has been able to help, especially seniors who often have no one to look out for them. Delivering meals, offering transportation to and from church services, and just being there to listen has impacted her life dramatically. “It’s what we are supposed to do,” she said.
Greater Love Outreach Ministries is located at 77 Lucas Drive in Brooksville. Pastor Woods can be reached at (352) 585-7328.
