The Blanco Church of Christ is the sponsoring congregation for Willie Gley. Willie is a U.S. trained preacher/evangelist in the Ghana/Togo region in Africa. He has helped start many churches in the region as well as conducted numerous campaigns focused on spreading the Word. One of his ultimate goals is to establish a self-supporting preaching school in the city of Accra, Ghana, Africa. Willie has started the Mars Hill Academy, a fledgling Christian school that will eventually grow to include primary through secondary education with an emphasis on Christian values.

The Blanco church also donates pantry items to this south Texas home for orphans and/or families in need. We do periodic fund raising as well. We also contribute handsomely to the Fosters Children Home, another home for displaced kids.

We donate money to assist the efforts of a group of Christians that travel to Romania periodically. These funds are used to help the local congregations, to purchase groceries for the very needy, to assist a local orphanage, and to buy medical supplies.

The congregation has also been donating to the following Mission outreach programs:

• Bert Campbell/Globe Arizona Church
• Sam's place
• World Bible School
• World Christian Broadcasting
• Eastern European Mission Work (providing bibles to citizens of the former Soviet bloc countries)

The Blanco church keeps a perpetual pantry for the periodic retrieval trips conducted by this group. We also host a collection site for gently used clothing and other similar items used for re-sale at their thrift store. You can support this cause by contributing to this church or by contacting directly at cgreenwalt@armsofhope.com.

Our members volunteer to deliver meals to shut-ins two months out of each year. We are also helping to prepare and deliver Lunches of Love meals (to attempt to fill in gaps in the Meals on Wheels program.)

A group of our members volunteer to help run the center monthly, as well as contributing monetarily.

We prepare and deliver food baskets for those less fortunate during the holiday season.

Once a month we bake and deliver cookies to the local Nursing Home for distribution.

On the second Sunday of each month, a group of singers travel to the local nursing home and serenade the citizens during their lunch.

Vacation Bible School is held annually around the middle of June.

In the past year we have made contributions to the following groups or areas of need:

• Local flood victim assistance
• Smithville fire victim assistance

Friday morning devotionals during most of the year. Participants meet at 6:30am for a short devotional, coffee, donuts, and a positive start to the morning.

Ladies meet most Thursdays for bible class and devotional.

Every Wednesday evening at 5:45 p.m. is kids’ time. Kids can learn Bible truths, learn great songs, and maybe even make some craft or art projects.

On Wednesday evenings at 6:00 p.m. (tentative) our youth prepare for the annual Christian Leadership Training competition. This event is best described as a U.I.L. type competition with biblical and Christian principals as the subject matter, from tests on predetermined subject matter (i.e., book of Daniel) to arts and crafts, to singing, and speaking competitions.

• Sunday morning Bible study at 10:00 a.m.
• Sunday morning Worship at 10:45 a.m.
• Sunday evening worship service at 6:00 p.m.
• Wednesday evening Bible study at 7:00 p.m.