"... Let These Gifts To Us Be Blessed"

These oft-shared words of a common table prayer are sometimes uttered hastily as we sit down for a meal. It’s not that we’re unthankful for the food we are about to eat.  It may be that we simply take for granted the blessing of being able to have something to eat whenever and wherever we decide to do so.

Can you remember a time when you were unsure of where your next meal was coming from? Perhaps you are experiencing some difficulties right now that make it hard to feed yourself or your family. Often these periods of need are short lived, temporary setbacks that have created a need. Conversely, you or someone you know may be experiencing a longer term struggle. The need for help with life’s basics is certainly nothing new. It dates back to biblical times, and other persons’ needs provide opportunities for each of us to be a blessing to a friend or a total stranger.

St. John supports various area food pantries to help offset the great need for both food and non-food staples. Not long ago a companion blog appeared describing the Hodge-Daniels Food Pantry operated at Emmaus Lutheran Church. There is another food pantry that you support through your donations at St. John, and their facility is right down the street. St. John and nine other local congregations also support God’s Bounty Food Pantry which is located in Wanamaker and distributes food and other items each Thursday from 1:00-6:30 p.m.  

During the first nine months of 2015 over 8,000 persons were served representing over 2,150 families.  

Another way to help God’s Bounty feed the hungry is by participating in the “Food of the Month Club”. This monthly collection list offers an opportunity to balance the influx of various items and helps avoid having too much or too little of any item. Following is a short list of food items for each month:  

• January – vegetables
• February – fruits
• March – soups
• April – chunky soups
• May – canned pastas
• June – peanut butter and jellies
• July – canned meats
• August – vegetables
• September – fruits
• October – holiday foods
• November – cereals
• December – not food items (e.g. toilet paper, paper towels, soaps, toiletries, etc.).

Those receiving much-needed food and related items are richly blessed by the generosity and good will of others. Those who give of their time, talent and riches are blessed as good stewards of God’s gifts. And finally, God receives the honor and glory for His grand scheme of providing life’s necessities. Praise God, from whom ALL blessings flow!!