When the Rev. Terry Goodman heard in his covenant group that a small church in an isolated area was struggling to help people who needed food, he knew he had to do something.
Goodman, who works in the Holston Conference’s main office in Alcoa, quickly organized a food drive, inviting other staff to contribute.
Goodman said he was motivated by memories of hunger he encountered when he previously served as pastor at Trinity United Methodist Church in Big Stone Gap, Virginia.
“I learned of children going home hungry and a school that gave them a small bag with food. The kids hid the food from their parents so that they could have something to eat," said Goodman, Holston's conference secretary.
In November, Goodman and his co-workers were among United Methodists who helped ministries meet the needs of neighbors battling food insecurity, a crisis heightened by the U.S. government shutdown.
Going the Distance to Help Our Neighbors
At Christ United Methodist Church in Knoxville, Tennessee, Jane Hunley said their twice-a-month pantry experienced dramatic increases of people needing food.
“The first November offering was right after the SNAP benefits were delayed,” Hunley said. “We normally have five to seven families on that evening. We had 32 families that night.”
On Nov. 12, two days after he heard about the need at Alexander Memorial United Methodist Church, Goodman loaded his truck with $1,216 worth of canned foods donated by conference staff. He drove 200 miles northeast to Bishop, Virginia, located near the West Virginia state line.
“We have been so blessed to receive so many donations from so many churches and individuals, but to have help from our conference speaks volumes of how we are all in this together,” said the Rev. Daniel Bradley, Alexander Memorial pastor. “It also brings a new sense of hope to the people of our community.”
Community Coming Together to Fill the Gap
Other leaders of United Methodist ministries also praised community members for helping them close the gap for neighbors without enough to eat.
“The number of families being served by our food pantry has at least doubled,” said Mark Medley at Memorial United Methodist Church in Clinton, Tennessee. “However, I know that more people have contributed to the food pantry and blessing box ministries in response to the increased demand. The key is to get the word out."
After federal cuts reduced their Feeding America support from 7,000 to 2,000 pounds, Nighbert Memorial United Methodist Church pivoted to get donations from local businesses and agencies in Logan, West Virginia.
“The Wednesday feeding program has jumped from 90-100 meals to 180 for the last three Wednesdays. Our food pantry has gone from 225 families to 300 over the past two months,” said the Rev. Terry Stone. “I can only say God is blessing us.”
Your Generosity Helps Others
By supporting your local congregation’s outreach ministries, you impact lives of your surrounding communities and those around the world. No matter what part of the world we live in, your generosity can reach across oceans and help annual conferences like Holston help those that are less fortunate.
story by Annette Spence, contractor for Holston Conference Communications
This story represents how United Methodist local churches through their Annual Conferences are living as Vital Congregations. The overarching purpose of The United Methodist Church is to "make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world." A vital congregation is one that is effectively engaged in this mission. Together, we become a powerful force for healing, growth, and transformation—living out the Gospel in every corner of the globe.
