Darlene Moore has always been taught that if a church and a community can work together to make people’s lives safer, she wants to be a part of that endeavor.

Moore serves as the pastor at St. Peter United Methodist Church in Jeanerette, whose congregation is working together with local military members on Tuesday and March 16 to offer free drive-through COVID-19 testing from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m at the church.

On the day of the testing, masks are required as well as a photo I.D. Trained military personnel will administer the tests. Results of the tests will not be available for a few days after the testing, Moore said.

As Louisiana enters Phase 3 of Gov. John Bel Edwards’ recovery plan, the number of confirmed cases in the state is more than 500,000, so Moore said it was important for her to help in any way she can.

Moore said she wanted to help her community of Jeanerette, Baldwin, Franklin and the surrounding areas, giving easy access to those who still need testing.

“It’s coming up on a year with COVID and certainly with trying to stay safe and stay alive and just as excited we are about the vaccination, we know that people are still in need of testing,” Moore said. “We wanted to partner with the community, partner with the church, partner with the military and make the testing available.”

When Moore and her church were given the opportunity to provide this service to members of the community, she jumped at the opportunity. Believing whole-heartedly that if there is a crisis and her church can be made available to be used, she said she would do everything in her power to do that.

“I just believe as a pastor, as a congregation, it’s important and I’m just glad the congregation was willing to do that,” Moore said.

Opening her church doors, both in the literal and figurative sense to help her community, Moore looks back to Mathew 25 as a guideline for what she is doing.

“It says, ‘When I was hungry, you fed me, when I was thirsty, you gave me drink, when I was in prison, you visited me,’” Moore said. “And so the Lord said to them, ‘You did these things and then they said, ‘when, Lord, did I do these things,’ he said ‘when you did it to the least of these.’”

That message has always resonated with Moore and her church because it fulfills their gospel story — their gospel mission in the community.

“When we feel like there is the least, the lost and the last, we want them to know the light is shining, the doors are open and we don’t consider them as least, the lost or the last,” Moore said. “We consider them in love, like those we want to minister to.”

Who: St. Peter United Methodist Church in Jeanerette, 986 St. Peter St., Jeanerette

What: Darlene Moore and St. Peter United Methodist Church offering free COVID-19 drive-through testing to members of her community and the surrounding areas. For more information on the testing, call 211.

When: Tuesday and March 16 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.