Created for Good Works

Jul 7, 2024 | by The Fellowship

“Thank you,” said the woman across the table from me as the visible tension  left her face.  “My mother is visiting from out of the country and she has run out of her diabetic medications.  We did not know where to go for help.”  She looked over at the elderly woman who was sitting beside her with a bag of labeled vials in her lap.

“I am sure our provider will be able to write a prescription for her,” I replied, handing over paperwork and a pen.  As they moved to a nearby table to complete the intake process, I marveled at how each patient’s appointment in the schedule that is maintained in the clinic’s computer system also represented a divine appointment.

Named 2535, the healthcare clinic ministry of The Fellowship is held in collaboration with the Christ Clinic of Katy.  Drawing inspiration from the passage surrounding Matthew 25:35 (from which the name of our clinic is derived), we aim to provide access to health care to those members of the community who might otherwise not be seen by a practitioner.  No fee is required, only a suggested donation, allowing the uninsured and underinsured of Katy with a sickness issue to get help, receive preventative care, and manage chronic diseases in a compassionate setting.  The clinic is held outside normal business hours to facilitate those who work.  Thus, twice monthly on Thursday nights from 5–8:00pm. Christ Clinic puts in place medical professionals and administrative oversight, and The Fellowship sanctuary temporarily transforms into a medical office with volunteers handling data entry, recording medical history, checking blood pressure and glucose, and processing for discharge.

The need for this type of medical care in our Katy community is real.  Our providers and staff have assisted all types of patients, from sick children to the arthritic elderly, from those in great distress to those seeking regular screenings or maintenance check-ups.  Our patients have also reflected the great ethnic diversity and languages spoken in the Katy area, presenting both new challenges and opportunities through this ministry.

Entering our second year, the demand for 2535 services at The Fellowship has rapidly grown as demonstrated by an ever-increasing volume of patients who are pursuing medical care.  We have added a second prescribing provider most nights and grown in the number of volunteers.  Even so, the number of appointments and walk-in visits outpace our ability to see and treat all those who seek us out.  As fulfilling as it is to come alongside an individual and help meet a specific need, it is almost as frustrating to turn away another desiring the same assistance.  Like the small boy throwing starfish from the beach back into the sea after a big storm, I believe that each opportunity matters ... despite the overwhelming size of the problem.

As the woman and her mother checked out of the clinic, having seen a nurse practitioner and set to head to a local pharmacy for the needed diabetic medication, she again thanked us.  “You have been a blessing to us!”  I simply smiled and expressed appreciation for them coming to see us.

Many times I can see how God moves in my life and answers my prayers, but it is a rarer privilege when He shows me how He answers others’ prayers, allowing me to participate in His work. In truth, I am the one who is blessed.

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works,
which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. 
Ephesians 2:10

To learn more about volunteering at the 2535 Clinic at The Fellowship, please contact .