A visit to NorthRidge Church to celebrate Easter this year has the potential to change a child’s life.
The four campuses of the metro Detroit-area congregation will direct proceeds from an Easter campaign to their northern neighbors, specifically Flint, Michigan-area families who have been suffering the effects of a water-quality crisis since 2014. For every person who attends one of the churches’ 18 services on April 14 through 16, NorthRidge will donate $1 to a nonprofit organization founded by Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha, a pediatrician and public health advocate.
“Many people miss it—they see the size of our church but they don’t know the size of our heart is even bigger,” said NorthRidge Senior Pastor Brad Powell.
Church leaders wanted to take this opportunity to have the greatest impact spreading the hope of Jesus to parents and children living in Flint who continue to be warned of potential health risks of consuming water from the Flint River, the primary source of drinking water for the city until contamination was confirmed in 2016.
“Resolving the water-quality problem could take millions of dollars and several years, but we at NorthRidge want to do what we can do now for the children of Flint, God’s children,” Powell said, citing support for the nonprofit’s goal to understand—and overcome—the impact of poor water quality on local children’s health.
“Each Easter, God surprises us with how many people show up at NorthRidge to hear his story,” Powell said. “We want to use what God is doing at NorthRidge to try to help make a difference in the lives of Flint families who had to learn that the water they were drinking and bathing in every day—a resource we tend to take for granted as being safe—was contaminated by lead, potentially causing disease.”
This Easter campaign continues NorthRidge Church’s practice to donate resources collected from members and visitors to local and global humanitarian efforts, beyond the four church home communities.
“This is another chance for us to show God’s love,” Powell said. “Our goal of seeing our world changed by the hope of Jesus can and must have real tangible results.”
