Food Ministry

Six times a year, a small group of our church family purchase, prepare, transport, and serve food to 50 to 75 less fortunate people needing a nutritious, warm meal. Opportunity House is located at 420 N. 2nd St. in Reading. Many churches and other organizations share to provide this need. Six meals a year may appear to be minimal, but when you consider all the organizations who combine their effort to provide a warm meal to needy citizens, it is easy to see God’s work, where many combine to lessen the load. For those who are involved, this continues to be a very rewarding experience. Many of you ARE involved by generously contributing to the purchasing of the necessary food items. I urge you to continue your contributions to this mission, and also, consider volunteering to help to purchase, to prepare, and to serve the meal to our less-fortunate neighbors in the Reading area.

We extend an open invitation to anyone wishing to walk in and join us. This breakfast is served between our two services. We don’t get many opportunities to meet socially with our entire church family from both services. This Ministry provides that opportunity. Those who attend the first service are invited to stay back and those who attend the second service are invited to come a little early. All are welcome to join in our fellowship hall downstairs and share breakfast and conversation. The goal of this ministry is to have YOU invite your families, friends, and neighbors to this breakfast. Please come and enjoy the fellowship!

Below is a sample menu for our typical breakfast buffet offerings:

• Plain, Chocolate Chip, and Blueberry Pancakes with Butter and Syrup
• Fresh Scrambled Eggs, and Eggs Scrambled with Assorted Veggies and Cheese
• Hash Brown Potato Patties
• Grilled Sausage Patties
• Pastries… Yogurt Cups… Mandarin Oranges… Warmed Mini Croissants
• Orange Juice… Fresh Coffee and Tea… Milk

Our CARE Ministry involves preparing a meal for some of our church family as well as some identified friends and/or neighbors in need of a hot meal. Simply said, this is an outreach ministry to demonstrate that “we care.”

On the second Tuesday of each month, we purchase, prepare, and deliver a meal to 17-27 people who would benefit from a CARE meal. Being involved in this experience is gratifying to those of us who help. Some of our group meet on that Tuesday to prepare the meal. An additional group meets at the church kitchen to deliver the prepared meals. The entire experience is satisfying. I encourage all of you to become involved and experience this ministry. Why not say… “Sure, I want to help prepare a meal…I want to help deliver the meals…I want to contribute to purchasing the groceries.” All of these involvements provide a feeling of CARING.

We continue to be grateful for Alan Koeble and his leadership and pray for his healing.

Do you know of a person or family who might benefit from a monthly, delivered hot meal? Please call our Church Office and give your suggestion to Linda Livingood, our Office Administrator. And, also, tell Linda of your interest in becoming involved with this ministry. You won’t be sorry… Just some Food For Thought…

This meal is scheduled each month. We schedule this breakfast at various restaurants in the area. We also prepare and serve several breakfasts here in our church. When we serve breakfast here, we try to have a guest speaker. Previously we have had breakfast at the Wyomissing Family Restaurant, and we also had a breakfast here with our Spring Twp Police Chief as a guest speaker. This format will continue in future months. I encourage the men in our congregation to join this ministry. Although the breakfast is hosted by the United Methodist Men’s group, anyone is welcome!