Sayers Memorial UMC celebrated its third annual Community Unity Day in West Philadelphia on August 17. This celebration originated from a vision that the Lord gave to Pastor Washington in 2019, leading to the creation of an event called Youth Explosion. The dream included bringing together multiple churches in the Philadelphia area. That vision evolved into Community Unity Day—a block party featuring food, fun, giveaways, and resources at 6101 Catharine Street, aimed at building up the community and preventing gun violence.

Vendors and community organizations occupied the remaining space on the block. The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, Maternity Care Coalition, Xfinity, the American Red Cross, Penn Medicine, and Senator Anthony H. Williams of the 8th District were all present to offer resources to the community. Brother Marcus of Praise 103.9 aired the event live, and church leaders were available to pray with anyone in need.

No community day would be complete without food and fun. Sayers sponsored a grilling station and a moon bounce for the children. Giveaways made the event even more exciting. The church prepared food and provided gift cards, book bags, notebooks, and coats for youth.

The day not only helped the community but also provided church members with the opportunity to serve one another in love and fellowship. Rashida Henry, who was baptized at Sayers Memorial and grew up in the church, has been volunteering for the event since its inception in 2021. She shared that what keeps her coming back is “seeing the youth and people working together.” Henry observes that Sayers Memorial has a “love for people” at its foundation.

Many event attendees return year after year. Evon DeLee shared, “I like the people and all the children and how they give out nice resources. They need it. This helps the community out.” DeLee, the pastor of New Church Down the Way Ministries, described the vibe at Community Unity Day as “hype.”

Nine-year-old Julianna Patterson, a member of Sayers Memorial’s children’s choir and a Bible study attendee, shared her favorite thing about Community Unity Day: “I like that everybody is being kind to each other.” Her answer reflects the remarkable nature of Sayers Memorial.

While this day is the highlight of Sayers Memorial’s efforts to nurture the families around it, it is not the only way the church makes an impact. They also open their building to other community groups, providing a place for them to gather and serve the community. The church provides space for the Cobbs Creek Community Environmental Education program to host their science program. Members of Cobbs Creek attended Community Day and presented Sayers Memorial with a $100 love gift to express their gratitude for the use of the church facilities.

These small acts of everyday faithfulness—reaching out to neighbors and sharing space with others who have a heart for the community—demonstrate how Sayers Memorial treats its community like a village and lives into its mission “To share the life-changing love of Jesus Christ with all people, proclaiming the Word of God by His Spirit through our words and living.”

Pastor Washington constantly reminds church members that, as servants of the Lord, Christians are called to serve—not to be served. Through action, community members are reminded of God’s love and are nourished with food and valuable information.

Pastor Washington proudly describes Sayers Memorial, the oldest church in the community at 110 years old, as a “Bible-based, Christ-centered, and Holy Spirit-led” church. A light shines in the church that permeates a love for Christ and one another. Through events like Community Unity Day, that light shines out into the block and beyond.