A couple of times each month, members of Dalewood United Methodist Church prepare up to one hundred plates of food. The hot meals are served before football and basketball games at a nearby high school; it’s a partnership that student athletes remember long after graduation. Right tackle James Frierson said, “I’ve heard of churches feeding the homeless. I’ve never heard of them feeding a football team.”
DOWNLOAD VIDEOBrenda Perry: “Today we’re feeding 55. We have Barbecued chicken, green beans, macaroni cheese, salad, rolls, fruit…”
Jessica Maurer: “Currently making green beans for the Stratford High Football Team.”
For 8 years, members of Dalewood United Methodist Church have been feeding the football and basketball teams and the band at nearby Stratford High School.
Coach Anthony Law: “Each meal that comes through that door is about my favorite. Them coming and sharing with us each week, and also sharing a word of wisdom, encouragement, inspiration, and it really means a lot to us.”
Coach Larry Mathews, Jr.: “Here we go, gonna go ahead and get the prayer.My man, he got us today. - God, thank you for this day, thank you for everything. –
Richard Ball: “All right, there we go. – Mac and cheese… green beans…”
Bruce Maurer: “We like to think that, not only do we feed their stomach’s but we feed their souls.”
James Frierson: “This year was my first year being at Stratford since I'm a freshman and it really it's really good. And I heard all the talk about it and it was, it lived up to the expectations.”
Coach Larry Mathews, Jr.: “It's an amazing job how God moves, to see how God moving through the young people through food, through ministry. We have had students get baptized, Bible study.”
Bruce Maurer: “A couple months ago I had someone come into a supermarket, and he says, ‘You probably don't remember me, but I'm a student. I was on the team at Stratford.’ And he says, ‘I took to heart what you said.’ And he says, ‘Since I graduated,’ he says, ‘I got a job, and I got married, and I have family.’ And he says, ‘Because of you folks, we go to church.’”
Coach Mathews: “Y 'all think I be playing when I talk about them hamburgers, how good they be. You see, last week we won, those hamburgers came through for us!”
Tag: In addition to preparing hot meals, church members also bring cookies during lunch break once a month for a program called, “Tell me something good.” Through that program, students share moments worth celebrating. For more information, contact Dalewood United Methodist Church.
This video was produced by United Methodist Communications in Nashville, TN. Contact is Joe Iovino.
This video was first posted on November 4, 2024.
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