Regardless of social status, all persons have inviolable, fundamental human rights. In today’s society that creates vast inequality between people, many people are insecure and excluded from the fundamental care that they need for survival. The mission of Upshur Parish House is to provide this much-needed care for all people in Upshur County, WV, in the name of Jesus Christ. Prophets in the Bible advocated for the sick, poor, those in prison, and the oppressed. They demanded repentance and change in the society’s unfair, unjust, and even unholy ways of operation that brought suffering to people.
Prophets stood at the city gate, which was a middle ground between inside and outside the city. The gate also divided the oppressed from the privileged. Volunteers and staff members of Parish House wish to stand at this middle ground to make difference in the world like the prophets did thousands of years ago and cooperate with many of the churches in the area to help families who are hurting, poor, and sick, and families who have loved ones who had been sent to prison.
Through Crosslines, the Upshur Cooperative Parish chose to follow Jesus Christ not only in the sanctuary but also outside the doors of our churches. We invite neighbors to where there is warmth, love, acceptance, and enough food for all. Christ’s love did not only appear in his words. His love equally strongly appeared in his deeds. He shared the table with those who were sick and had been imprisoned. Jesus Christ did not spread his word through oppression and exploitation. He spread his word through his compassion, grace, mercy, and love for the oppressed and tried to create a world free from discrimination, suffering, and oppression.
Another mission of the Upshur Parish House is to connect people and build relationships between them. One of the examples of this relationship building appears in the Upshur Parish House’s partnership with the Center for Community Engagement (CCE) program of West Virginia Wesleyan College. The program encourages students to volunteer at Parish House as Service Scholars. Both students and adult volunteers learn a lot from their interactions with neighbors and other volunteers. These interactions change volunteers’ perspectives, world views, and lifestyles, making them more kind, understanding, appreciative and caring. The Parish House literally functions as the gate that connects people who might not meet with one another otherwise. 
“For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me” (Matthew 25: 35-36).
“Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me” (Matthew 25: 40)

O U R   T E A M

Kristi Wilkerson

Chief Executive Officer

Our Volunteers

​Volunteers are indispensable to Crosslines' operation.

Here are some of the voices of volunteers who have offered generous contributions
​to Parish House and have shared their passion for helping people.
​Wendy
Food Pantry
​Wendy is a volunteer at Food Pantry. She is passionate about helping neighbors struggling to meet their necessities. She has been volunteering at Food Pantry for four and a half years. She had been looking for a place to volunteer, because she had more free time as her children grew up. She says, “I wanted to do something useful and purposeful.”  For Wendy, the essence of being useful and purposeful does not simply translate to providing food to neighbors. Wendy says, “I want them to feel good about themselves.” She understands that meeting neighbors’ physical needs is not sufficient to make them happy. She believes it is important to have sincere communications with neighbors and to show heartfelt care for them by listening so neighbors can feel a connection with her and see there is someone who cares about them. She also grieves the inequality that exists between people.  After volunteering with the Parish House, she appreciates the things she used to take for granted much more. Her experience at Parish House changed how she sees her lifestyle and the world. ​
Bill
Food Pantry
​Bill also volunteers at the Food Pantry. He previously worked at a company as an electrician. Now, he is involved in more than ten organizations as a volunteer. He sometimes travels to Haiti to help build a school. He received an award from Buckhannon’s mayor for his devoted and passionate involvement in volunteering. Bill has been volunteering at Food Pantry for six years, but his involvement in the operations of Parish House can be traced back to twenty years ago when he rewired Clothes Closet as an electrician. He now volunteers at Food Pantry twice a week. He volunteers “to serve the Lord and His people.” He says that “The Lord says, ‘If you love me, you feed and clothe my people.’ I volunteer to glorify the Lord.” Bill's favorite memory at Food Pantry is the day a four-year-old girl brought food donations to Parish House on her birthday. Bill remembers he was deeply impressed by the girl because she chose to give something to people instead of being given something on her birthday.
Kathy
Help Desk
Kathy volunteers at Help Desk in Parish House. The Help Desk checks information about neighbors when they visit Parish House to receive emergency aid. Kathy has been volunteering at Parish House for about ten years. Before volunteering with the Help Desk, she volunteered at Food Pantry for one year. Her outgoing personality motivates her to continue volunteering at Parish House. As much as she likes helping people, she enjoys the interaction her volunteer work provides.  She says, “Especially after I retired, I felt I really needed to be involved as much as possible. I did not want to stay in the house and watch television.” Jesus said, “Love your neighbor as yourself," and Kathy tries to remember to treat neighbors as she would want to be treated when she interacts with neighbors. In the morning before she starts volunteering, she prays to God, “Let me see what you see in the neighbors.” God loves everyone, and she says she wants to see people the way God sees them. Her precious moments working at the Help Desk come when she knows she helped somebody who truly needed her help during a rough time in their lives. As she has worked at the Help Desk, she has seen many neighbors break down in tears and wish to have a hug. She considers moments when she could help these  neighbors very precious.
​Mary, Sandra, and Eloise serve lunch at Parish House together once every three months. At a Church Women United meeting, a volunteer was needed to serve lunch at Parish House. Mary volunteered to do so, and Sandra and Eloise joined her later. When they first served neighbors, they were surprised by how appreciative the neighbors are. “Neighbors are kind and always thank us afterward.” As these women have continued serving, they have come to know neighbors by their names through interactions with them. These interactions with neighbors changed how these volunteer women saw their world. They have become aware of what they often take for granted, and interactions with neighbors encouraged the women  to appreciate every little thing that is given to them in their lives. After being asked why they volunteer, Mary, Sandra, and Eloise expressed their passion to serve the Lord. They serve neighbors because they love the Lord. Jesus wants them to love and help the neighbors, and preparing lunch is a service that they can provide for neighbors. ​
“Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these
​brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me”

Matthew 25: 40

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