"Commitment to outreach" is a guiding principle of Connection Church, its website says.
On Saturday night, that approach takes members of the Pentacostal church in Canton to 20 adult entertainment clubs in and around Detroit. They plan to give gift bags and messages to up to 500 strippers, Niraj Warikoo reports for the Free Press.
The Canton group's mission is "offering compassionate outreach to women in the sex industry in the Metro Detroit area."
Handouts from a church group called My Sister Song include candy, cosmetics, Valentine’s Day cards and Bible verses.
It’s part of an ongoing effort by the ministry, which has reached about 7,000 women over the past five years.
“We go to the clubs, inside dressing rooms to take our gifts and love for the girls,” said Laura Urenda, founder and director of My Sister Song. “We don’t go forcing an agenda on anybody. . . . We don’t want to be churchy.” . . .
The group doesn’t try to convince the strippers to leave the industry, but the gift bags contain a contact card with a phone number if they want help. Strip club owners are usually open to the ministry, allowing the group to enter clubs and meet the women, said Urenda.
