Hello Serving Meals Ministers! This past weekend was another great weekend out in the neighborhood. Serving with us were Tony Patterson, Karen Heitkamp, Nicki Gaskins with her kids, Mike Williams, Janice Kuczler with Morgan and me with Jack. Lisa Finta, Tabitha Butler, a new Lisa, Laura Griffin and I provided the ravioli casserole, fruit and dessert. Lisa Finta and Amy Stanfield were praying for us.
While the heat was hot, we had nice breezes that accompanied us. That may be what contributed to everyone's laid back attitude - servers and neighbors alike. We all got the chance to have long conversations with people and didn't hurry one bit through the homes. We picked up Savannah, who is 10 and lives on Brookmeade, because she has been asking to go out with us for awhile now. She was an awesome helper and had fun out there with us. It was great to catch up with folks and check in. We encountered some physical needs that are mentioned below that we will be following up on. And the prayer needs are also on the attached spreadsheet. The grace and love of God was with us as we smiled and laughed with and hugged old friends. Sean, Johnny Cooke's nephew, and Tony had some amazing conversations about God and the Bible while they were out walking. Sean is staying with Johnny because the family is worried about Johnny.
Thank you to all of you for making Saturday happen. It takes all of us working together to pull it off and we did it! The first Saturday team will be out this upcoming weekend doing it all again - slots are still available. And be sure to read this - PDQ will be donating chicken strips for both Saturdays of every month, around 250 each weekend. So we will now be providing the side dishes and won't have to worry about the meat.
Thank you to Lori Wilson for lining that up, Thank you to PDQ, thank you to each of you who do literally as Jesus asked of Peter - 'to feed my sheep.'
Thank you,
Mary Baker
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Hello serving meals ministers! Here is a recap of what all happened on Saturday with the Serving Meals Ministry - as usual, you all played a vital role in this day coming together - from cooks to bread slicers to dessert fixers to prayer people to servers to orange bringers - God was again at work through each of you. The day was gorgeous and everyone we talked to just felt a little lighter, a little more joyful and more willing than ever to just sit and 'visit' for awhile. Each of the servers had several amazing long conversations with old friends as well as a new friend who has been pretty closed off to us before. A lady on Epps Street talked with 3 of us about the desire to reach out to her community with Bible Study. Please pray for her and some of our servers as they seek to work together in this endeavor. Also, several different times the great need for ESL classes came up, as there is currently only one in Fort Mill and it is coming to a close for the summer. Please pray for ESL classes over the summer. Almost at the end of our journey Saturday, we met with a mother of 2 children who is about to buy the home they have been renting from her mother. Her little daughter wanted to help us deliver the food for the rest of the day but since we were at the end, we asked if she would join us next month to serve. The mother prayed for us and the food right there on the spot and said we'd see her in the parking lot at Riverview next month. A gentleman on Epps Street is looking so much better and his health is improving. We met 3 very new babies that were out enjoying the sun - a little girl who was 3 days old, a little boy who was 5 weeks old and another little girl just a few months old. Please pray for all of these little ones. There was so much joy and excitement and appreciation expressed over a simple meal delivered (and beautiful Mother's Day cupcakes thanks to a special volunteer) that our hearts were warmed with the joy of spending time with friends in the streets! My daughter who is almost 3 was with me and our friend whom we see every month asked if she was my Granddaughter. Then followed with, "I don't mean to be rude but don't you think you waited a little late in the Eve to start having kids?" We all laughed so hard at this and had a lot of fun with that. He won't live that one down! Next time we see them, we said we'd introduce me as Mawmaw or something of the sort.
We had so much fun Saturday, thank you to all the cooks servers and continued support from Breadsmith.
See you next month June 4 at 2:30 at Riverview. More details to follow on that.
October 30th - Paradise
Around 12:30 our Board of Advisors met for a meeting with Barbara Franklin & Roger Floyd, from Christ Central. We had a great time hearing all the new things that Christ Central is doing.
Barbara, Roger, Jimmy and I served after the meeting and were able to see alot of new and old friends.
First we went to Bozeman Dr and one family told us a wonderful praise report!
They told us that last year we prayed for her son to get clean from drugs. We met him and he has been drug free ever since. We prayed for his girlfriend to become drug free as she is in rehab now. Please pray for her.
Mrs. Johnnie told me about a friend I've grown close to over the years. She lived on the left hand side st off Sanders (barrel) St. She has made the request to get off drugs. We ran into her as we were serving. With her being so skinny she gave me the biggest hug! It was a time of her crying out for help! As I looked into her face, I could see that it's been a while since doing drugs, her face has hope in it. A different look that I have never seen on her before. Please lift her up in prayer. She is battling habits that she lives into everyday of her life. She has lost her home and kids to family members, but we reminded her that GOD loves her, and He is able to bring her thru this if she will take the first step.
Off Joe Louis, as we pulled up to this house two men came out and wanted plates. As the people saw this wonderful meal that Lou prepared, they kept saying, "One more plate please." By the time we left, "ONE MORE PLATE" turned into 12 plates.... Praise the wonderful name of JESUS! This house has not been sure of us, and some relationships are starting to build.
It was a long day, but very worth every minute! Thank you Miss Lou for cooking for our board meeting and serving!!!
Thank you for the board members that took their Saturday to meet and pray for this ministry.
Mary Baker
1/30/11
This report is wonderful! This tells me that the team of SMM is growing @ the Gathering! Praise The LORD.
theGathering served in Paradise on Saturday, January 30, 2011. We were excited because this team is made up entirely of lay people and required no help from the staff for cooking, coordinating the team, or serving. The day was unseasonably warm for January and large number of people were out and about. We served 90 plates of food, and were able to encourage and be encouraged by a number of poeple. No new people were served, as the largest number of plates were served on the street as the team encountered them. Thanks again for the opportunity to serve, and to disciple our people.
Derrick Bucy Pastor
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Life Point Church in Riverview
What an amazing day we had serving our friends in Riverview yesterday. As we were gathering to pray over the food the skies opened up and the sun accompanied us for our entire journey.
We had many adults out to serve and several teenagers and 1 5 year old! Thank you to Matt, Janet, Janice, Denise, Heather, Teresa and kids Colin, Brianna, Morgan, Conner, Trevor, Grant and Ava!
We served at least 60 servings of chunky veggie soup, bread, oranges and bananas and cookies and brownies!
On Bolin we were glad to speak with a few families and get some prayer requests:
Peggy asked for prayer for her family,
Edith who is still working & cooking for herself asked for prayers for her son-in law who broke his wrist and is driving a big rig,
Prayers for relief of stress and for an upcoming birthday
Renee asked for prayer for her son Johnny who is in the marines
Joyce for her back
Emily for her grandfather and ill mother's struggles
On Priscilla street we spoke with Linda who has breathing treatments for her asthma. She asked for prayer for that and other physical ailments.
On Neighbors street, the second to last house on the right is in major need of some help. Rosa didn't ask for anything just prayer for her kids and grandkids. She said she came to church last week and enjoyed it.
On Epps street I was overjoyed to find Bobby (Baby) out walking around looking healthy again! He said he'd been to the hospital and his BP was better. You could see it in his face that he was feeling so much better!
On Epps street we found:
- James whom we prayed with for his wife Dora Robinson in the hospital with Pneumonia.
- Gary and Johnny wanted prayer for jobs in this economy
- There were prayer requests for a pregnant great niece, a woman whose pregnancy was terminated, family members with cancer a man with bad knees and a husband in need of work.
Other interesting notes - On Henry St, I had a lovely conversation with a woman named Maria. She has lived here 18 years and doesn't speak any English. Her husband and his brothers and their families live all around them. She was delighted to receive the food and excited to speak with me. I assured her I'd speak English with her when I saw her again so that she could practice.
Thanks!! We'll be out there the first Saturday in March!
Christ Central, Serving Meals Ministry Dec 19th letter.
Riverview:
Truly was amazing to pull up to the church and see all the bags full of toys, with two or three inside! I could not believe my eyes and everybody else was in shock! Thats what happens when God is in control he just surprises you! Thank you to all the people that donated toys we had more than enough. As we left to go feed in the Riverview area we handed out food and toys. The people were truly humbled! They were so thankful for the toys, they could not thank us enough! When we got to the end of Epps St. The last house, the man asked us to pray with him to find a job. He's been out of a job for months. He used to work in construction but he says there is no work right now! (believing God is going to open doors of oportunities for him). One lady in the apts. gave a giftcard for the ministry! I think they told her to keep it, but she insisted that she wanted to give in return. We had toys left over and every family got an abundance of toys, we gave at least two bags to each child!!! And we still had left overs!! Was truly a blessing to go out and be a part, had a great time! Thanks to the ladies that cooked the food!! We had just enough food!!
FMCOG Youth
Paradise:
Thank you so much for giving Steve and me the opportunity to server and distribute gifts on Saturday at Paradise.
I believe that we lift up our community by using the blessings that God has given us to serve our community.
From our evening of serving, there is one bright smile that keeps surfacing in my mind today. While I was fixing a plate, I overheard a young woman at one stop who was talking about her little boy and how he just wanted a basketball for Christmas; that was all he wanted, just a basketball. It was a very cold night, but her smile, as she stood there with a basketball to give to her son at Christmas, warmed the cold evening air.
For me Christmas is about Christ, his love and the joy that his love can bring to everyone. Again, thank you for the opportunity for us share that love and joy with our community.
From The Baker’s:
Even with waking up with the news that the cargo trailer was broken into and all the car hitches (3) and all paper plates was taken. Everything worked out. We could not have severed our friends on this day with out everyone’s help. Cooking, serving, picking up and slicing the bread, picking up toys and angel trees, packing the toys, people donating food. THANK YOU!
May you have a Jesus filled Christmas.Wishing you and your family a peaceful day!
On Saturday March 19, 2011 two brothers and 3 sisters in Christ went out to Paradise to fulfill our monthly commitment to meet the physical and spiritual needs of that community. The weather was awesome, but it wouldn't have mattered if it wasn't. It is so humbling and such a huge blessing to be allowed to be the hands and feet of Christ in this way. It is such a point of what we are called to do as followers of Christ; to go and love on a people who have so many different challenges in their lives, not unlike in our own lives. For me, I know I feel God's glory when I take my eyes off my own problems and focus on the needs of others, both physical and spiritual. We served 70 meals consisting of Tuna Casserole, green beans, bread and a delicious brownie. No doubt, the meals were greatly appreciated, but there was a greater appreciation in many for the this simple act of love and human kindness. A human touch and concern, when guided by the Holy Spirit is so powerful to accomplish encouragement and a softening of the heart that leads to the planting of seeds of salvation. It is a supreme pleasure to serve the Lord in this way and I highly encourage anyone who has not served in this ministry to prayerfully consider it! You will be blessed! We prayed with many of the folks. Below are listed some specific prayer concerns and physical needs: A woman at the Barber Shope on Steele Street and a woman on Juniper Street both asked for prayer concerning their finances. Two ladies asked for prayers concerning their search for employment. A lady on Anderson Street asked for prayers that God would bless her family and guide it in a way that would please Him. She also asked for prayer for her mother who is in the hospital with a number of conditions. A man at Steele St apartments said, "Praise God for a beautiful day" (Amen to that!). A lady on Nesbit Street asked for prayers for her diabetes. Add to client list requst: McGee St.- She has the following physical needs: Size 14-16 womens clothing large shirts size 8 shoes 2T girls summer clothes newborn baby boy---clothes & diapers I thank God for allowing us to extend and display the love of Christ through human hands!!!!
