written by James Sawyer, Pinnacle View UMC communications director
This past week in Little Rock, a powerful moment of ministry and connection is unfolding. Pulaski Heights United Methodist Church is hosting a mission team from Church of the Resurrection (COR) in Kansas through the Ozark Mission Project (OMP), bringing together 53 youth and 7 adults for a week of service and transformation. What’s taking place is far more than a series of work projects—it’s a vivid illustration of the Church in action, shaped by hospitality, prayer, history, and a shared calling.
The decision to host the COR team at Pulaski Heights was both thoughtful and deeply rooted. For years, Pulaski Heights has had a strong relationship with COR through shared participation in COR’s Leadership Institute. That connection laid the foundation for this summer’s partnership. The relationships run even deeper through personal stories—like that of Pat McGinnis, who grew up at Pulaski Heights. Years ago, after his son James suffered a life-threatening injury during a football game, the people of Pulaski Heights responded with months of steady prayer. Though the family had long since moved away, the church community embraced them in love and intercession, demonstrating the kind of care that defines Christian fellowship and United Methodist connectionalism.
Now, the McGinnis family is part of the COR group being hosted at Pulaski Heights, coming full circle as they serve others from the very church that once served them. The experience has been filled with moments of reflection and reconnection, especially for Pat, who spent time exploring the church where his faith journey began and noting the ways it has both changed and remained familiar.
Throughout the week, the Pulaski Heights congregation has opened its doors and hearts to their guests. Various groups—Bible studies, Sunday school classes, retired members, and others—have stepped up to cook and serve meals, clean facilities, and pray over each individual in the COR group. Dr. John Robbins, the Senior Pastor at Pulaski Heights, integrated the OMP campers into his new 90-day Bible study by passing out bookmarks listing each camper so the Bible Study group can pray for them each by name.
In neighborhoods across North Little Rock, the COR team has been actively serving—painting homes, building garden boxes and wheelchair ramps, and completing other projects to support local residents. These efforts are deeply rooted in OMP’s mission of relational ministry, which emphasizes connection and mutual respect over simple task completion. The ministry goes beyond providing help—it fosters understanding, dignity, and community between volunteers and neighbors.
Pulaski Heights’ involvement in OMP extends beyond hospitality. Rev. Katye Chambers, ordained deacon and Pulaski Heights’ Pastor of Missions, Justice, and Emerging Ministries, is a longtime advocate for the mission of OMP. Her own call to ministry was shaped by her time as a youth participant and community builder in the organization. For her, the opportunity to now host OMP and guide a new generation of youth through this experience is both a professional and personal fulfillment. Her family’s connection to OMP continues today through her stepdaughter, who now serves with the organization as well.
One of the week’s highlights was Neighbor Night, an evening gathering that brought together COR volunteers, members of Pulaski Heights, and the community members they had served. Sharing a meal and worshiping as one body reflected the heart of OMP’s purpose—building community through service, presence, and shared faith.
Throughout the week, members of Pulaski Heights have found new ways to use their gifts. A retired handyman has been showing up every day to mentor the youth, teaching them how to safely and confidently use power tools. Others who once sent their children to OMP are now stepping into hosting roles themselves, some experiencing the program’s energy and impact up close for the first time.
As OMP celebrates its 39th summer of ministry, this collaboration between Church of the Resurrection and Pulaski Heights is a powerful reminder of the Church’s role outside the Sunday sanctuary. The people of Pulaski Heights are not only offering hospitality but also actively investing in the lives of young missionaries, their neighbors, and one another. These interactions are not one-time events—they build skills, forge relationships, and stir spiritual awakenings that last a lifetime.
Through hands-on work, heartfelt prayer, and intentional relationship-building, this week’s mission at Pulaski Heights is showing what it truly means to embody the love of Christ. The sanctuary may hold tradition and memory, but it’s in the daily acts of service and connection that the Church fully comes alive. In the shared meals, the laughter of youth learning new skills, and the stories exchanged between generations, the spirit of God is moving—and lives are being built anew.