The Friday Finish - Lead with Love! - Love is a Hat - A Head Rub - Leading with... - A Healthy Home & Food in the Pantry
October 30, 2026
Lead with Love!
Lead with love! It’s not a new concept. It’s the legacy that Jesus left us more than 2,000 years ago. He led through acts of compassion rooted in love to feed and heal people in need. Jesus passed along the legacy of compassion to the disciples, and the people of Red Bird Mission have continued to lead through a legacy of love for over 100 years.
During the month of November, we have the opportunity to strengthen the Red Bird legacy of compassionate outreach through local leadership. Government funding for Home Delivered Meals ended prematurely in September, but thanks to private donations from generous people, Red Bird Mission has secured the program through the end of December. However, an additional $30,000 is needed to keep meal delivery going this winter to 48 people living in isolated areas truly needing these nutritious meals each week. Currently, $12,000 has been committed by volunteer donors to match dollar for dollar every gift made to Home Delivered Meals leading up to Giving Tuesday 2026 which falls on December 1st.
The 105-year legacy of Red Bird Christian School’s formation of Christian leaders can be seen across the Red Bird Mission staff carrying out Christ’s mission in the communities here in southeastern Kentucky. Meals are delivered; food boxes are packed; homes are repaired; health support is given; and children are taught and mentored by Red Bird School alumni. Alumni even lead in giving to the school to bring up new leadership at Red Bird, but it takes all of us to provide opportunities for learning leadership and service in a Christ-centered school.
Help us “Lead with Love” by making a donation to Red Bird Mission to begin this Giving Tuesday 2026 season. You can make your donation online using the secure form, or you can mail your check to Red Bird Mission, Inc., 70 Queendale Ctr, Beverly, KY 40913-9607 marked “GT 2026”. If you’d like to double your gift for Home Delivered Meals, add “HDM”. You can also designate “Leaders” to make a gift to the School, but matching funds are limited to the first $2,000 for the school at this time.
Love Is a Handmade Winter Hat
Susan Sugg made the five hour trip from Henderson, Kentucky to Red Bird Mission on Thursday to deliver scarves, hats and dish cloths made by the Happy Knitters group. Susan and her friends have blessed people served by Red Bird Mission Community Outreach for the past few years. The handmade personal and kitchen items donated this year represent scores of hours and immeasurable love these crafters have for people they’ve never met.
Leading with Love – A Head Rub for a New Furry Friend
The Red Bird Christian Preschool Early Childhood Development (ECD) students were headed over to the Mission Administration building for some Trick-or-Treat when they met up with Susan and her husband unloading the Happy Knitters donations. The Sugg Family brought along their two “fur babies”, and the ECD kids couldn’t resist stopping to give a loving pet on the head as they passed by.
Leading with…
...Song
Our Fine Arts legacy was leading again this year at the Southeastern Kentucky Music Associations All Festival Choir in Corbin, Kentucky on Tuesday. Eleven Red Bird Christian School Elementary and Middle School students qualified for a day of intense music performance along with dozens of other students in the region. Mr. Nate Smallwood, RBCS Music Director, was joined by Mr. Mark Smallwood, his father and past Music Director, to allow our talented students showcase their God-given abilities.
...Spooky Sweets
The Culinary Arts kitchen at RBCS STEAM was busy this week. Kindergarten read, The Legend of Spookley, the Square Pumpkin, and decorated square cookies as an activity to remember the book’s lessons of kindness for those that might be a little different. Eighth Grade STEAM students got in the kitchen for the first time this year and made some scrumptious fall snacks, and the STEAM Culinary Arts Class made themed cakes for the October birthday folks.
...Character
Red Ribbon Week at RBCS was enhanced by the National Honor Society and SOAR Higher (middle school honor society) leadership providing hands on assistance for staff. The week was filled with dress up days and activities spreading the message of healthy choices and living drug-free lives.
Love Is a Healthy Home and Food in the Empty Pantry
Red Bird Mission Work Camp is finishing the 2027 year with a team from Vineyard Christian Fellowship this weekend. They’ll be repairing a ceiling and steps plus replacing a front door for a homeowner on Granny’s Branch today and tomorrow. Some of the group are on the Red Bird Mission Queendale Campus working on buildings that serve our Community Outreach programs. They dropped off several boxes for the Emergency Hunger Relief Pantry this morning before heading out to the jobsite.
These items will be added to the load of frozen meats, canned goods, breads, tomato juice and paper products that Ralph and Nadine Aller brought in their minivan van yesterday for Paul’s Pantry. Ralph and Nadine come several times a year from their home in Ohio to help feed thousands served by Red Bird Mission Community Outreach food pantries.
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