The church community in Dallas, Texas rallied around federal employees who are living without pay due to the longest government shutdown in U.S. history.
On Sunday, Concord Church Pastor Bryan Carter asked anyone who is a federal employee or family member to stand up and come to the altar for prayer before he surprised them with a gift.
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"Let's all stand together and go to prayer together on their behalf," Carter said.
They each received a $100 gift card to Walmart, and through community partnerships, the church also provided food pantry services and help with utilities.
It meant a lot to Antecia Parker, an essential government worker who has been working at the IRS for 20 years. She lost a home after she was preapproved because of the lost paycheck. She said she went to church for comfort and walked away with a blessing.
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"It's beautiful," Parker told FOX 4. "I came today just for prayer for myself and my government family and wasn't expecting what we got today."
Carter said the church needed to stand up and serve those struggling in this difficult season because when the community hurts, so does the church.
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"At the end of the day," he said, "it's disheartening and disappointing when politics get in the way of people's survival and daily living."