Jim Frost shared last Sunday about volunteering with the 5th Wednesday Grace Fellowship Meal team to provide a meal to the hungry in our community. First Baptist has been asked to expand our involvement by providing a meal once a month in addition to the 5th Wednesday nights that occur during the year.
Good morning, my name is Jim Frost and I am going to share some information about the Wednesday evening Grace Fellowship.
History: Grace started the Wednesday meal about 20 years ago, in what became the Broach theatre downtown. Under the leadership of Jack Steelman, FBC started participating in the summer of 2009. Back then the average guest attendance was 150 – since then the numbers have increased to the current average of 250. Grace Community Church on Lee Street is the host church, but partners with sister congregations for the provision of food and volunteers to serve the meal. Currently FBC is the only church that provides a complete, balanced meal prepared in its own kitchen.
It is a Fellowship, not just a meal, and is open to the entire community, though a large majority of guests are homeless. An increasing number of guests are children, usually with a single parent.
Our church has been the provider for the meal on each 5th Wednesday. Here are some details about the routine:
Baking cookies for dessert.
Meal prep at FBC on Tuesday night.
- On the Tuesday evening before a meal is to be provided, a group of 6 to 8 volunteers meet at the FBC kitchen at 5 pm for food prep.
- Tasks include baking cookies, preparing pasta salad, washing and separating lettuce, setting up for a fruit cup, and prepping the sides for burgers (pickles, cheese & condiments). Youth are welcome and encouraged to participate – participation has been approved and profiled for Noble Service learning hours in conjunction with Guilford County Schools.
- Tuesday food prep is usually completed in an hour and a half.
- On Wednesday, our kitchen staff cooks the burgers.
- All food is taken from FBC to Grace. We help with plating and serving the meal.
- Food containers are returned to FBC to be cleaned and put away.
We will be expanding our support of the Grace Fellowship to providing a monthly Wednesday meal in addition to continuing to provide the 5th Wednesday meal.
To support this expanded ministry, we need an additional leader to help with coordinating volunteers for the Tuesday food prep and delivering the food on Wednesday. No experience is necessary – we will provide on the job training.
In addition to the Tuesday prep by organized volunteers, ALL are invited to volunteer at Grace Community Church each Wednesday at 5:30PM – to serve the meal and fellowship with the guests.
Getting all the food out at Grace for the guests.
Gathering for the meal.
Please contact me (frostyone4@earthlink.net), Jack Steelman (sueanjack@gmail.com) or Kim Priddy (kim@fbcgso.org / 274-3286, x295) to volunteer or to obtain additional information. Thank you for your support in this ministry.