Cycle of Service is a three-day cycling event to raise money for and to bring awareness to the struggles that many low income families face in the Black Belt of Alabama. Many of these families cannot afford to repair their homes. Over the last five years, Cycle of Service has been a fundraiser for Alabama Rural Ministry (ARM) to provide roofs, plumbing, electrical and other basic housing needs for people in Sumter, Macon and Lee county.
“My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me.
Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.” – Matthew 26:39
When I think of Jesus and the suffering he is about to take on, I think about the people he is doing this for: the people who haven’t yet heard his message, the people who follow his ministry and the people who do not like Jesus. If the suffering was only for those who followed his ministry, then the meaning and message of Jesus’ sacrifice might have simply died with them.
As we cycle April 22nd through the 24th, the cyclists will be become sore, tired and weak. One hundred miles a day takes its toll on your body, but the reward far outweighs any pain we will endure. We will cycle by homes of people who don’t know us personally or know about Alabama Rural Ministry. We will cycle by homes where the homeowner could be the recipient of a home repair through ARM. We will cycle by homes that support ARM financially.
You can be involved in this great fundraiser through three ways:
- you can sign up to ride 1, 2 or all 3 days on Active.com
- you can volunteer your time (and your social media!) to get the word out
- you can donate to Cycle of Service through this page or at arm-al.org
So, why do we cycle? We cycle because we care about our fellow Alabamians and the homes they live in. But more importantly, we cycle because whatever we do to repair sub-standard housing for low income families, we do for Jesus.
– Scott