Pleasant Hill Community Church, Pleasant Hill, Tennessee

At the entrances to the sanctuary, shiny pennies, nickels, dimes and quarters are dropped into jars by the members of Pleasant Hill Community Church UCC (PHCC) in Pleasant Hill, Tennessee as part of the congregation’s Power of the Penny campaign.  The donations support PHCC’s two mission projects, South African tunnel gardens and to provide for two foster children.  Corey Boniface, PHCC’s representative for Wider Church Relations, says the campaign reminds her of a small newspaper, Spare Change, sold by the homeless community in Boston. At first, it seems the name is an abbreviated form of “Can you spare some change?” – a phrase spoken by street people the world over. But on deeper reflection, Boniface says, it can also mean do you have the will within to change the way things are? The members of Pleasant Hill Community Church are reaching into their pockets, filling those jars and making some change.