The children of Living Word Lutheran Church, Laurinburg, N.C., from the time they can toddle have deposited their own offering in a large Mt. Olive Pickle jar during worship. It’s for “people in a pickle,” they proudly tell visitors. The director of Church Community Services, an ecumenical social ministry, knows that when funds are low she can call on the pickle jar to assist a family passing through town in need of a tank of gas or a place to stay.
Young leader sets the tempo
At 24, Claudia Karola Santos Serrano is already deciding the future of her church in Puerto Rico. Since around age 7, she has quietly observed the needs of fellow congregants…