Blog

Last week, ten excited youth and three brave adults packed up and drove to the University of Tennessee, where they participated in a week of youth camp called UniDiversity. This year, twenty-four churches and 462 participants gathered together to focus on the theme “It’s Complicated.” This theme was all about relationships, and we focused on the relationship between Peter and Jesus as we talked about trust, influence, pain, and purpose. Youth and adults alike wrestled with being vulnerable and accepting of others; they began to unpack how we are always in relationship with other people, and how we as Christians should treat others and be treated in those relationships; we talked about how we are influenced by those around us, and how we can work to be positive influences in the world; and we found ways to think about how we have been hurt in relationships, and hurt others, and how we can pick ourselves up with God’s help. It was a transformative and challenging week for everyone.

The title of this article speaks to the larger picture of UniDiversity. During the day, youth are mixed together into different groups. Often during the day, you would hear chaperones asking one another “Have you seen…?” Because for most of the day, youth were all over the place, building relationships with others; forming community. And we didn’t see each other a whole lot. But that was because youth were putting into action what we were focusing on this week- they were building relationships with one another. Between bible study, seminars, and electives, our youth were out meeting new folks and reconnecting with friends made last year. That’s a benefit of UniDiversity- since it only happens for one week in the summer, and many of the same churches return year after year, we are able to reunite with friends they haven’t seen since last year. The UniDiversity family is one of the strongest and most genuine I have ever encountered. And for that I am grateful.

As we return home, we return as a group who has been challenged to look at relationships differently. We are finding ways to be the presence of Christ in the world to all we cross paths with. On our last night at camp, we each offered a sentence prayer with the prompt “God, as I return home, help me to…” Each youth and adult based their prayer off something that touched them this past week. While all the prayers were meaningful and important, one prayer summed up the week: “God, as I return home, help me to love others, even when I don’t feel like loving them.” That’s the Gospel, friends. That’s what we are called to do in this world filled with meaningful, challenging, complicated relationships. So go- serving the complicated and mysterious God, and knowing that you have been equipped with the tools to navigate the world.

Rev. Kristen Koger

Pastoral Resident

The Food Pantry and Clothes Closet Ministry provides food and clothing to families in our neighborhood.  The pantry and clothes closet are open every Thursday from 1:30 pm to 3:00 pm.  Food is distributed and the clothes closet is open for all to shop.  This is also a place where people can come to share their experiences and situations, and sometimes to just fellowship and talk or have prayer.  It is funded by contributions made to the Fellowship Fund and Food Pantry Fund and from time to time grants.

Food pantry and clothes closet are staffed by dedicated volunteers.

In 2014, we distributed 2,503 bags of groceries to 650 families, including 70 homeless persons.  Some came only once and some every month.  On average a family came between 3 and 4 times a year.  There were 261 families who visited the food pantry for the first time in 2014.  We distributed over 50,000 pounds of food (25 tons) this year – an increase of 6% over 2013.  We strive to provide well-packed bags of food each week.

This year about 75% of food we distribute comes from the USDA program.  The Food Bank makes an allotment of food based on number of families served.  USDA food is picked up on the first Wednesday of each month.  One week we picked up almost 4,000 pounds of food.  Each week, a steady number of neighbors visit the clothes closet as the word spreads about this ministry.  Consequently, we always need your clothing and shoes, particularly for men.  Thank you to everyone who donated clothes and toiletries this past year.

If you visit us on any Thursday, do not be surprised if you hear laughter, for it truly is a fun working environment.  Every week people tell us what a great thing this church is doing and how much they appreciate what we do and the way they are treated.  I think that is what this ministry is about – whether it is getting food, clothing, or just having someone listen.  We want people to feel better after coming here.  I find every year that the people who serve in this ministry do so because they want to help others.  We are still here because there is still a need and because we have people willing to help address the need.

A little history:

The food pantry started around 1978 by collecting food from the congregation and distributing to people who came to the church.  It was actually stored in a pantry.

In 1998 (first year we started keeping statistics) the food pantry began participating in the USDA program. The first year the monthly average was 19 families and 27 bags of food distributed.  In 2014 monthly average was 185 families and 209 bags.

In the first 5 years we had about 540 families visit the food pantry.  As of December, 2014 that number has grown to 3,682.

The clothes closet began in 1978, and in 1998 it was operating in a 10 ½ by 22 foot room, about 230 square feet.  We have expanded the clothes closet space to almost 1,400 square feet.