Bad news at Electrolux isn’t enough to dull the spirit of hope for the faithful of Greenville.
On Sunday, the region’s religious leaders are sharing a message of hope at a 4 p.m. service open to the community.
The gathering is patterned after services that followed the terrorist attacks in 2001. The event, conceived by the Greenville Ministerial Association, will be hosted by First United Methodist Church, 204 W. Cass St. in Greenville, said the Rev. Harry R. Johnson.
“We always feel it is important for the church to have a voice in those events,” Johnson said.
“We wanted to let people know that the church is involved in what is going on in the Electrolux situation and with the families, because they’re all our families.”
Don’t expect to hear any Electrolux-bashing, though. The theme is upbeat.
“We’re calling it a service of response and hope,” he said. “We’re optimistic about the future of the community, the work force of Greenville and fact that Greenville has continued to grow and prosper.”
Words of hope from pastors impact people differently than those from politicians and community leaders, Johnson said.
“If all the blocks stand together, we do believe that things will work out,” Johnson said.
The service follows the Jan. 16 announcement that 2,781 Electrolux employees would lose their jobs when the plant closes in 2005. The company is shifting production to Mexico and North Carolina to save on labor costs.
From M Live