Let me share that I did not start off so positive about the impact we were going to have for September.  I remarked to Heidi, my wife, that I didn’t have high expectations for the month.  Not sure why I felt that way.  Maybe because we haven’t spent much time handing out menus into the community, or because there were so many other things going on in our lives.  But, I just felt overwhelmed with the thought that it would be another month of small orders and very little outreach… was I ever wrong… and I’m praising God!

The phone doesn’t seem to stop ringing with people requesting information, wanting to place orders, and the walk-in traffic to the church on a daily basis is almost amazing.  Last Saturday, I think we had more people come into the facility than we typically have for attendance on a Wednesday night service.  Beyond the sheer numbers of calls and orders, are the people that we have an opportunity to reach out and meet their needs… not just physical ones, but the spiritual needs as well.

As I reflect on Jesus and the moments in which he fed the 5000 (actually, much more if you include the women and children who were not counted in that number), I’m reminded that He saw that the people had a huge physical need that had to be met.  They were tired, hungry, weary, and needed something much more than just another hour of teaching.  He reached out to them in a way that truly nourished their physical bodies, but went much further through the hand of compassionate outreach and the miracle that took place.

Today, we are praying that our hand of outreach will perform a miracle in the lives of the people that call, e-mail, and walk-in for assistance.  The stories that have been shared with us have already been exciting!  Now we’re looking forward to another month beyond expectations.  For with God, all things are possible!

A couple of stats about September:

• 77 people purchased food this month (64 from the community and 13 from the church)
• 150+ people will be directly affected by the food purchased (friends, family, co-workers)
• 177 boxes of food will be distributed on Saturday, September 27th
• 10 boxes of food will be given away on Faith in Action Wednesday (about 20 families will receive food) as a way of showing them that God loves them!

The numbers are almost double of what we had last month and we are anticipating the number to nearly double again for October.  Please pray for us that the ministry would continue to grow, but truly make an impact upon people’s lives not just physically, but spiritually as well.  Also, be praying that we would have additional volunteers to assist us on distribution day, that Angel Food would setup a drop site here in Baltimore, and that additional volunteer assistance would come in to help with taking orders throughout the week.

Angel Food Ministries

Skyrocketing gas prices, an economic slowdown, mortgage crisis, and layoffs across the country are putting a pinch on the average American family.  For some of them, the crisis is to the point of questioning whether they pay for groceries or utilities.  Now, with the assistance of a special ministry with a servant’s heart, families have the opportunity of stretching their grocery dollars by purchasing high quality, nutritious, name brand foods for a significant cost savings.

The Angel Food Ministry program, in which we partnered with four months ago, helps people with limited income to buy low cost groceries that nourishes the physical body, while special gospel tracts and church information help to nourish the spiritual soul.  Even though the program has been designed for those with limited income, Angel Food does not restrict anyone from purchasing.  Their motto is, “If you eat, you qualify.”

Angel Food Ministries is a non-profit, non-denominational organization and has the goal to help neighbors facing tough economic times.

For $30.00, a person can buy a box of food containing both fresh meats, eggs, shelf stable milk, frozen items and a variety of dry goods such as pancake mix with an average retail value of approximately $60 to $80.  Angel Food products are all restaurant grade quality and never include day old material or dented cans.  One box of food assists a family of four for about one week and can feed a single senior citizen for almost a month.

Besides the regular menu, Angel Food also offers high quality specialty boxes such as steaks, chicken and pork.  Many individuals participating in the program appreciate the expanded choices.  Additionally, there is no limit to the number of regular boxes or specialty boxes an individual can receive, and there are no applications to complete or qualifications to which participants must adhere.

We participate in the U.S. Food Stamp program, using an offline Food Stamp Voucher system.  We also accept cash, certified check, and money orders for payment.  For more information, please visit our website:  angelfood.middleriverchurch.org.

The reason for starting this page is to share my thoughts on a variety of topics, specifically towards the journey of life that I, as a Christ follower, am on and how it relates to others.  Hopefully, the ramblings will allow us to generate conversation, questions, and even debate.  So, feel free to comment back.