A single mother of four evicted from her apartment.

A brain cancer patient who must decide between paying his mortgage and covering a medical insurance premium.

A rural job seeker who needs a ride to an interview.

These are just some of the scenarios members of local churches discussed at a daylong summit in Cary Thursday.

Hosted by St. Francis United Methodist Church, the summit examined how churches can help meet the needs of parishioners suffering financial and other burdens.

Barbara Garlock with St. Francis helped organize the event because St. Francis, like many churches in the area, was having people just show up at its doorstep asking for help.

She wanted the summit to be a chance for church leaders to learn about about all the different services offered in the county so that they could better help people in need.

Church leaders from western Wake and beyond attended the summit.

“Jesus commands us to serve our neighbor,” said Doug Lain, pastor at Wendell United Methodist Church.

Lain said that requests at his congregation’s food pantry this summer were double what they were last year.

Lain was just one of several pastors who attended the event, along with officials from various Wake County public services.

The program included several speeches from people such as Willie Beachum of Wake County Department of Human Services, who alerted those in attendance about the services offered to people suffering financially.

Bob Geary, a writer with Independent Weekly, also urged churches to get more involved politically in speaking out on poverty.

“Poverty is not on the political radar screen,” Geary said, noting that politicians at state, local and federal levels rarely address the issues of poverty during their campaigns.

Tom Moore, a member of St. Francis United Methodist Church, said that he was glad he attended the summit.

An Allstate insurance agent, Moore said he sees some of his clients — including many white collar workers — suffering from the loss of jobs and other economic factors who don’t know where to turn.

He said the summit gave him a ready list of resources that he can provide people who come seeking help. Lain said that churches are often the first places that families turn to in times of need.

“Our faith gives us hope for the future,” he said.