MOUNT AIRY residents who are uninsured, underinsured or have no access to medical care have an alternative.

Mission of Mercy, a nonprofit agency that operates a mobile clinic providing free medical services, has been open at Calvary United Methodist Church, 403 S. Main St., since October.

The clinic is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays.

"This is clearly a ministry," said the Rev. Dennis Yocum, pastor of Calvary United Methodist Church. "They say in their mission statement that they want to share love with people by providing medical care as well as prescription medication."

Mission of Mercy has been providing free medical care in Maryland and Pennsylvania since 1994.

The organization was founded by a pharmacist, Gianna Talone-Sullivan. It says it has provided more than 9,000 patient visits a year and more than 18,000 free prescription medications.

"Mount Airy is unique because it is where four counties come together and because of that there are not a lot of county services located here," said Susan Martin, parish nurse at Calvary United Methodist Church.

Mission of Mercy approached the Mount Airy church about establishing a clinic.

The group has clinics in Frederick and Westminster. The Mount Airy clinic is expected to alleviate crowding at those clinics.

"We also have a fair amount of rural folks such as farmers who might not have insurance," said Martin, who volunteers to coordinate health and wellness programs at the church.

Many of the clients at Mission of Mercy are the working poor or are between jobs and have no health insurance.

Others might have health insurance but are unable to afford the copayment. Mission of Mercy does not require participants to fill out financial forms.

"There is a need," Martin said. "One person told me it was a choice between paying their health insurance benefit or their mortgage payment one month, and they didn't want to lose their house. In a sense, they are gambling that they will remain healthy and have no serious accidents."

Mission of Mercy is operated by a volunteer board of directors, two paid staff and more than 200 volunteer physicians and other medical professionals, according to a brochure.

"The church had talked about developing our own free walk-in clinic. But then this presented itself to us and it was ready to go," Martin said. "Most of our church members are very well-off, and we felt it was part of our mission as Christians to reach out to the community through a service such as this."

Mission of Mercy takes appointments and walk-in patients.

The group and Calvary Church hope to add dental services.

Information: 301-829-0358.

Musical inspiration

The Mount Airy branch of the county library invites the community for an afternoon of inspirational words and music.

Appalachian author Sharyn McCrumb will discuss her novels at 1:30 p.m. Jan. 11 at the library.

Traditional musician Jack Hinshelwood will play music inspired by the novels.

The program is part of the library's celebration of its 10th anniversary in Mount Airy, said Nadine Rosendale, adult services supervisor.

Information: 410-386-4470 or 301-829-5290.