Prairie Chapel collects non-perishables for food pantry

| November 14, 2016
The congregation at Prairie Chapel Church donated non-perishable food items for the food pantry at New Life Ministries. Contributed | Beacon

The congregation at Prairie Chapel Church donated non-perishable food items for the food pantry at New Life Ministries. Contributed | Beacon

WARSAW – It was at 4 a.m. one morning when the administrative assistant, who wishes to remain anonymous, at Prairie Chapel United Methodist Church, believes she received a vision from God.

“I think we were directed from God,” she said. “It was 4:00 in the morning. The baskets were there in front of me and this was it.”

She saw a vision of bushel baskets in the shape of a cross at the altar of Prairie Chapel with non-perishable foods inside. She decided to make that vision a reality, but she never expected it to go as far as it did.

“For a small church, people don’t think you do very much for the community, but our congregation has gone above what we expected,” she said.

The original eight empty bushel baskets she put at the altar in the shape of a cross have now overflowed with non-perishable food items that were given to New Life Ministries food pantry this past Sunday.

“The church usually helps the food pantry anyway,” she said. “Around the holidays, we try to do something a little extra. This year, we decided to do this for them and see how it went. I think it went very well.”

The pastor challenged the kids at the church to bring in food items for the basket and said he would match any and all contributions. Joe Shaw and Leonard Cognion of Prairie Chapel also said they would match contributions.

“We try to impress on the kids that what sounds like little things can grow into big things and help someone else,” said Pastor Dail Parrish of Prairie Chapel.

On Sunday morning, kids packed and loaded the food into a truck and delivered it to New Life Ministries.

“I’m so excited that they’re so excited to help and not only that, they are getting the young people involved and that’s hard to do in this day and age,” said Pastor Mark Granger of New Life Ministries.

The food also adds a bit of decoration to the church as well and reminds people to be thankful this Thanksgiving for all God has given them.

“I’m very appreciative of what they are doing because it will bring in much-needed items,” said Granger. “I spend most of the food pantry money buying meat because that’s what people want. This will really help out because we are giving these out next Thursday right before Thanksgiving.”

As of the end of October, $85,000 has been spent on the food pantry this year.

“What they are doing is a tremendous help,” said Granger. “Because of their giving, people are getting items they don’t normally get.”

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Category: Faith

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I have been employed at the Coshocton County Beacon since September 2009 as a news reporter and assistant graphic artist. I am a 2004 graduate of Newcomerstown High School and a 2008 graduate of Capital University with a bachelor’s degree in Professional Writing. I am married to John Scott and live in Newcomerstown. We have two beautiful daughters, Amelia Grace Scott and Leanna Rose Scott.

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