DEKALB, IL (March 11, 2010) – Doing a favor has led to a new ministry by the men at Hillcrest Covenant Church.

Mark Cordes, the leader of the men’s group at the church, also serves on the board of directors for the local chapter of Love INC, which helps connect churches with needs in the community. As a member of the board, Cordes knows that people want to donate furniture to the organization while other people need furniture from the organization. Unfortunately, there often was no one to move the furniture.

Until now.

Last fall, Cordes asked the men in the group to help move furniture out of an apartment that was rented by someone who was moving out and wanted to donate their items to Love INC. The men enjoyed helping so much that they formed a moving crew as the church’s newest permanent ministry.

About a dozen men volunteer along with several younger members who spend several hours once a month moving the furniture. Scott Sisler, who leads the ministry, spent a day with his 12-year-old son moving a refrigerator, beds, tables and chairs.

They were able to deliver the furniture to people in great need of it. They replaced a broken refrigerator at one location and delivered beds to an apartment in which three people had been sharing one bed. At another stop, they found a single woman living with two children in diapers – the family had no furniture.

In the past, Cordes says, the men’s group focused its attention on projects within the church, and this is the first time they have addressed the needs outside the congregation.

Love INC has needed the assistance. Prior to the men’s ministry taking on the permanent task of moving furniture, other groups and individuals provided the service on an as-needed basis.

Currently, about 30 churches partner with Love INC in DeKalb.

Love INC has more than 140 affiliates in 30 states, representing a network of more than 9,000 churches, 6,000 community agencies, and 300,000 volunteers helping more than one million people in need each year.