Thirty years ago, an idea was born to minister to the “material, emotional and spiritual needs” of people of Harris County. Today, that idea has become a thriving commitment.
The evolution of the Fellowship of Christians United for Service (FOCUS) began Valentine’s Day 1984 with a letter signed by Sister Rosemary Sullivan of Christ the King Catholic Church and Lyall W. Scott of the Hamilton First United Methodist Church. The letter was mailed to churches across Harris County.
Two weeks later, representatives from a dozen churches met at the then Callaway Gardens Inn, now Mountain Creek Inn. FOCUS was born. Today, FOCUS ministers to people across the county, providing food, emergency relief, home repairs, children’s programs, and spiritual guidance, among other programs.
Early on, FOCUS also held an annual Peace Prayer Service each December on the square in Hamilton. FOCUS programs included an adult reading program and a pre-school program and provided scholarship money to Harris County seniors seeking to attend college or technical school
FOCUS prides itself on being multi-denominational. Its volunteers represent nearly all sectors of the Christian faith. And that’s the way it started 30 years ago when a coalition of churches met monthly. Early on, Sister Sullivan was one of the main drivers behind FOCUS’ success. When she left, Sister Philomena Fogarty, who had come to Christ the King in 1987, took up the FOCUS banner and raised it to new heights.