A local church is putting the word “service” back in Sundays.

Members of First Southern Baptist Church have spent the past year making sleeping mats for Beautiful Feet Ministries, a homeless shelter and outreach in Fort Worth, Texas.

“We made these mats to share the love of Jesus to those less fortunate than us,” said Leeta Walker. For Walker, serving means showing. “That’s what today was all about. Not just coming to church to talk about helping people, but actually doing something,” she explained.

Last year, Walker and her husband, Steve, went with several members of First Southern on a mission trip to Fort Worth. The experience motivated her to show the love of Christ by organizing people to make sleep mats out of recycled plastic bags. “Everybody has extra plastic bags lying around the house,” Walker said. “Instead of throwing them out, we reused them by crocheting them into these sleep mats which are waterproof and portable.”

Last Sunday, the church sent two truck-loads of sleep mats, clothing, personal hygiene items, and Bibles to Fort Worth for people in need.

First Southern’s Senior Pastor, James Collins, praised his church members for their outreach. “I really appreciate everyone who acted as the hands and feet of Jesus and worked so hard to bring this together,” he said. Collins said it was their way of sending a message to people who’ve fallen on hard times.

“There are people who will pray for you, there are people that love you, and there are people who will help you any way we can,” he said.