Cookeville churches deliver 3,435 meals to residents
- Dec 10, 2008
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. — At least five churches here prepared and delivered about 3,435 meals to area residents Nov. 25.
The Thanksgiving meal delivery was held last year by Stevens Street Baptist Church, Cookeville, with Baptists from a few other churches helping.
This year five Southern Baptist churches in Cookeville — Stevens Street Baptist; Washington Avenue Baptist; Poplar Grove Baptist Church; First Baptist Church; and The River Community — participated. Members of a few other churches also joined in, said Rick Lowhorn, minister of outreach and Christian development, Stevens Street Baptist.
About 300 volunteers made the project possible. Meals were delivered to homes, fire departments, an adult education facility, police stations, jails, Tennessee Technological University, an interstate rest area, an alternative school, the rescue mission, homeless people, and an elementary school.
Each facility was checked with prior to the delivery to ask permission and find out how many meals were needed. In most cases, only workers at the facilities could be fed because of regulations at each institution. But the workers were very glad for the meals and to be thought of, volunteers reported.
The names of residents who received meals were submitted by members of the participating churches. Others asked for the meals when learning of the ministry. Residents were informed by information which was hung on door handles and by advertisements in local newspapers.
The meals were prepared by volunteers at Stevens Street including Tennessee Disaster Relief volunteers from the area. The DR team was led by Don Green of the church. Green also is DR director of Stone Baptist Association. Because of the large amount of food needed, pies and cooked turkeys were delivered by volunteers and re-heated at the church.
A nutritionist at Stevens Street Baptist determined how long the meals would be safe. If a meal was not delivered within the time period, it was thrown away.
Accompanying the meals was a card which said the meal was provided “by the Lord Jesus Christ.” The card also asked the question, “Is Jesus the only way to God?” and listed three verses which included the answer.
Jimmy Arms, senior pastor, Stevens Street Baptist, said he and others at the church are “just like anybody. We can’t think of something like this.” But when God “invites us we want to respond. And we are excited to be involved.”
Arms said he is glad Christians are learning how to be the church instead of just going to church because of the many needs people have.
The main purpose is for people “to get a touch from the Lord,” said Arms. “I’d love to feed a lot more.”
This article is reprinted from the December 3, 2008, issue of the Baptist & Reflector, the newsjournal of the Tennessee Baptist Convention.
Further Learning
Learn more about: Citizenship, Hunger/Homelessness