local church has provided some A “Blessing Bags” for members of the Ponca City Police Department.

The project developed because Rev. Tracey Ivy, pastor of the Albright and Asbury United Methodist churches in Ponca City, also serves as one of the police chaplains for the Police Department.

After hearing a need expressed during a chaplaincy meeting about how COVID-19 is affecting things people normally take for granted in their daily lives, Ivy volunteered Albright UMC to help make navigating safe health practices for police officers and support staff a priority while they continue to serve our community.

“Police officers expressed a need for assistance from the community due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Officers are now on 12-hour shifts, and support staff is working under strict guidelines to minimize exposure to the threat of this virus,” Rev. Ivy said.

The pastor requested a list of items that officers could grab on the go and use in their vehicle while out serving the community.

From the list, “Blessing Bags” were created and assembled by volunteer church members from Albright.

Each Blessing Bag contains a small personal size hand sanitizer, travel size disinfectant wipes, personal size tissue, pre-packed single-serving snack food, including chips, crackers, cookies, nuts, trail mix and candy bars, and small-size bottles of drinking water.

Rev. Ivy said this was an opportunity to continue to do outreach ministry and bless the police officers who put their lives on the line daily and keep our community safe.

“Although we cannot meet together in the church building, our message is we, the people, are the church,” she said. “We must do ministry outside the four walls of the church and we must allow God’s presence to shine through every act of kindness no matter how small or great. Thank you Ponca City Police Department for keeping us safe. Stay healthy and safe. We need you.”