When the COVID-19 Pandemic began, the Rev. Robbie Pruitt saw a need in his Ashburn neighborhood – bikes and bike repair. The supply chain was broken, bikes were hard to find, and it was difficult even to get them fixed. For people that relied on bikes, this was a real problem.
While to many this may have looked like a business opportunity, to Robbie it looked like a ministry. Since then, The Bike Ministry he launched has repaired 2,500 bicycles for free, conducted 125 bike repair days and 15 pop-up “bike clinics.” Repaired bicycles help provide activity and fun for kids and serious transportation for many adults in our area. Repairing bikes and providing free bikes for those who need them has also created opportunities to share the Gospel and love our neighbors in Jesus’ name.
At Epiphany, we have a tradition of setting aside the offering from our Christmas Eve worship services to make a gift as a congregation to meet a local need or support the work of one of our mission partners. This year, we will be supporting The Bike Ministry with a gift of the first $5,000 we receive in the Christmas Eve offering. According to Robbie, our gift will cover The Bike Ministry’s cost for about a year and enable him to repair between 250 – 500 bikes.
“As always, it is a great privilege to be able to give from what God has given us each Christmas Eve and see our gift do good in the world in Jesus’ name. I’m excited that we are able to partner with Robbie and The Bike Ministry this year,” said the Rev. Peter Frank, Epiphany’s rector.