But on this past Sunday, it was empty.

Instead, as part of a "faith in action" mission, approximately 950 people spent 8 a.m. to noon in the community, not the pews.

Church members participated in 41 different service projects throughout the Triangle.

The church's concept of thinking beyond its own walls follows a month-long series of messages by the church's three pastors, each of whom stressed "the importance of seeing -- and meeting -- community needs through 'new' eyes," said Toby White, director of missions for Apex UMC.

Apex UMC members chose to participate in the community mission project because of the economic recession and high unemployment rate. Members of new Apex sister church, Acts UMC, also participated.

Volunteers prepared breakfast at the Salvation Army soup kitchen. Some put together bagged lunches for those attending a Moore Square open-air worship service. Others packed children's shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child, while others winterized homes in Apex, Holly Springs and Fuquay-Varina.

"It was a huge undertaking, getting everything coordinated," White said. "... But my gut feeling now is that we will do it next year at the same time.

"People really want to serve."

Danny Berrier was among the volunteers painting the exterior of a one-story home in Holly Springs.

"This is my first time trying to do this type of project," he said. "I'm not a construction person by any means; I work with computers."

The home he and his wife Teri worked on with 18 other church members is a couple miles away from their own home in Holly Springs.

A summer youth project sponsored by Apex UMC focused on repairing the older gentleman's roof earlier this year, and Danny Berrier kept in touch.

"He's my neighbor," Berrier said.