The churches in our area are constantly reaching out to help not just their own congregations but those beyond those membership rolls. Whether it’s manning food pantries, giving away warm clothing or dishing up hot meals for free, these churches are showing the true spirit of Christianity.

Recently Christ Episcopal Church revealed a special kind of ministry that right now is relatively unique in the region. Every Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. the church opens its doors to whomever wants to come in and sit in the sanctuary for as long as they want to.

The reasoning is simple, says the Rev. Sallie Schisler, priest in charge at Christ Church.

“The goal is to have a place for people to come in and take their rest,” she said.

Those coming can pray, read, have quiet conversation with either Schisler or her assistant, the Rev. A.J. Stack. Or they can just sit and take in the serenity that the sanctuary offers.

Providing this can give the community a break from the stress of everyday life.

But what would be even better would be if more of the downtown churches took a day in the week and opened their doors for just a couple of hours. Not only would that enable everyone to take in the special beauty Ironton’s churches are known for, it would give more opportunities for these houses of worship to provide a refuge for all of us.

Downtown churches, heed the call.