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At the Upper Room
Ministries in Austintown focus on feeding people’s souls and bodies
By LINDA M. LINONIS
For the pastor and members of the Upper Room Ministries, Scripture plays a pivotal role in directing their lives and beliefs.
Dave Fidram, coordinator of the meal outreach and cook, prepared last Wednesday’s noon lunch. He wore a T-shirt with the numbers for the John 3:16 verse on the front and the complete passage on the back. It is “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
“They are the numbers of hope," Fidram said of the Biblical passage. He said that just as faith feeds the soul, members of the ministry also want to the feed those who might need the food or want the fellowship. Fidram said the meals are one-on-one opportunities.
The ministry recently began a “second chance” third Wednesday of the month noon meal geared to senior citizens. There also is what’s called a “biscuit ministry” meal program at 4 p.m. the third Sunday of the month and is family-oriented.
“We want to help as many people as possible,” Fidram said.
Beth Anderson, a food- program volunteer and church member, said, “It’s my church. We want to reach out and give people the message of Jesus and give them a meal.”
The Rev. Steve Zawilinsky said he and the Lord founded Upper Room Ministries about a decade ago. The ministry is affiliated with Southern Baptist and takes its name from the place where Jesus met with his disciples and formed a new covenant, he said.
Services are scheduled at 6 p.m. Wednesdays and 11 a.m. Sundays with Sunday school at 9:30 a.m. and prayer meeting at 6 p.m. From 60 to 75 people attend. The website is www.heavenonearthforme.com.
Pastor Steve, as he is called, said his two favorite Bible verses are Ecclesiastes 7:4, “The heart of the wise [is] in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools [is] in the house of mirth” and Psalm 91:14, “Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name.”
“Time is short ... you need to figure out where you’ll be when you die,” Pastor Steve said.
“God is the one who lays it on people’s hearts,” he said of the direction and choices people make.
The pastor said the Upper Room Ministries tries to focus on “doing the will of God” and “teaching people about Jesus.”
The pastor said the ministry has limited resources and knows some who take advantage of this outreach and others. “They don’t know the Lord but once they get a hold of Christ, they will do better,” he said. “We want people to accept Jesus in their hearts. It is a physical and spiritual birth,” he said.
Pastor Steve said members are gratified knowing that they help many truly in need of sustenance. When he can share verses from the Bible with them, he said it “makes people search.”
The pastor’s wife, Diane, is involved in the ministries as are daughters Stephanie White with Sunday school and Jill Zawilinsky, youth ministry.
Donations for the outreach are accepted at Huntington Bank branches, Upper Room Ministries/second chance.