While many Alabama Baptist associations and churches are helping meet needs through food pantries and ministry centers, a few churches have decided to go one step further and provide hot meals to people in need.
Not all people have the resources they need to cook meals, said Jinell Brittain, a member of Riverbend Baptist Church, Gadsden, who determined to meet the needs in her area, even if it meant using the trunk of her car for a food line.
In July, a door was opened, literally, when a local man agreed to allow the Etowah Baptist Association church to use his building in Attalla rent free.
“And Attalla was where my heart was leading me because there is nothing in that area as far as a soup kitchen or mission center,” Brittain said.
There is now — the Twelve Baskets Full ministry, which serves hot meals to about 30 individuals every Monday. Churches are the best outlet for providing this type of service because they can continue ministry beyond just offering a meal, said Dianne Lowe, church and community ministries director for Etowah Association.
“They can invite them to church, find out other needs, include them in prayer meeting on Wednesday nights and hopefully pull them into the church family in a variety of ways,” she said.
Of course, in order to pull people in, the members of the church have to first go out among them.
Chris Tortorice, pastor of New Hope Baptist Church, Guin, pointed out that this type of ministry is a chance for the body of Christ to meet people where they are and show the Father’s love.
This Marion Baptist Association congregation of about 20 saw the decline of the economy and in local jobs and knew it had to help. So about three months ago, it started a soup kitchen, The Lord’s Table.
On the fourth Sunday of each month, the women of the church cook up a batch of soup, along with cakes and other desserts, and invite the people of the community and surrounding areas to come share a bowl.
Bowls of soup also are delivered to widows, widowers, shut-ins and residents of housing projects near the church.
“I want folks to know we do care,” Tortorice said. “Whether it’s just a bowl of soup or giving the name of the Lord, He says you’ll be blessed in so doing. We’re not doing it to be blessed but just to give it and let people know we’re concerned and we’re here for [them].”
It’s not just that the Church should want to meet people’s needs, but that’s what “we’re supposed to be doing,” Brittain noted.
“It’s easy to sit in the pew and pay money and pray for it, but we’ve got to be the hands and feet of Christ,” she said.
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