Be sure to catch up on this entire series here.
One of my favorite ways to serve is with FOOD. Eventually I’ll share some of the ways I use food as a ministry, but today, I wanted to share these ideas sent in by two of my readers…
Nancy’s ministry: I love to bake bread from scratch. I bought a grain mill a few months ago so now I can even grind my own grain and then bake my bread. =) Anyway, when I bake bread I bake double what my family needs and then give the extra loaves away. I live in an apartment complex and so have lots of neighbors with whom I can share. People really appreciate it and I can sure tell that they are surprised that someone would give them something with no strings attatched. =)
That’s my way of reaching out while I have 2 young children at home and no car to take me out into the big wide world.
Serenity’s ministry (as told by her mother Jill):
Our daughter really wanted to reach out and serve others but felt that her primary ministry was her husband and children. She decided on a wonderful ministry that would give her the ability to reach out but not neglect her young family. She called the local Ronald McDonald house and asked if they could use a homemade meal once a month for the guests there. They were quite happy to receive that call.
Ronald McDonald houses allow families that have a very ill child in the local hospital to stay for a very small fee per night. It is set up like a home. They can come and go as they please. There is a kitchen for them to use while they are there. They are almost always very close to the hospital so the families can walk which is very handy for them. Many of these families are facing lengthy hospital stays with critically ill children.
So, our daughter would make a delicious meal that included homemade bread or rolls, a yummy dessert along with the main course. She is a fabulous cook so she really out did herself. She would cook while the babies were napping. When her hubby got home from work she would pack it all up and take it over to the house. I am so proud of her for finding a way to serve while still having young children. I am certain the families were blessed by eating a good home cooked meal.
What other ways have you been able to serve others with food?
melinda says
I make freezer meals. Usually just a casserole of some sort that I can put in a disposible foil pan. I write the heating directions on the foil cover. I take them to people who may have lost a family member or who may have a long term illness. They can store them in the freezer for two months until they need them.
Autumn says
Our church has a ministry called “Love in Action” where meals are organized for new moms, people who are sick, or just had a loved one pass away. I have been on the receiving end of these meals a few times (once when my 2nd son was born, and later when I had a miscarriage), so it is a ministry close to my heart.
Like Serenity, I make a big yummy meal while my kids are napping (a double batch – one for us and one for the other family) and then take it to the family in need. It doesn’t take a huge amount of effort for me to double a recipe and it blesses the recipient so much. It’s an ideal way for me to serve at this season in my life.
Kathy says
I like to carry food in our car to hand out to the needy we meet along the way. Since we live in a city with many homeless people there are many opportunities to help. I usually carry some bags of granola in the glove compartment so it is handy if I only have a few seconds at a stop light. I try to always make soaked granola with lots of healthy ingredients so it is nourishing and filling.
Our church is in the inner city and ministers to many homeless people as well, so we provide food and drinks during our fellowship time. Each month a different family is in charge of providing the food. The month of May was the first time I did it and it was great! Since we were in charge of the food tables I got to visit with more people and meet nearly all of the visitors!
Kate says
My favorite food ministry is taking a meal to new moms. It’s fun to bless them (plus you get to see the new baby!). I remember when I had my son, we had LOTS of people bring us meals and it was wonderful.
One of my husband’s ideas that we’ve recently implemented is we bought a bunch of McDonald’s gift cards, keep them in the car and hand them out to people in need.
Amber says
At our house, we love to sing. My husband and I both teach our children to sing hymns daily. Its great to hear them singing The Church’s One Foundation at the top of their lungs as they ride their bikes!! This has become a ministry opportunity for us. We have seven young children and are not able to serve in the same way others do, and my family IS my service, but together we will drop in on new neighbors, those in our church suffering with cancer, shut-ins, etc. with a loaf of homemade bread, some fresh wildflowers the children have picked, and we will gift them with a song. The look of surprise on their face when seven little children, ages 9,8,6,5,3,2,and baby, burst into songs of praise and encouragement!!!!!! These grown people burst into tears nearly every time!!!!! Our children are also delighted to see the joy they have given with a simple song and a hug. Another easy and very important way to have your children serve is to challenge them to seek out one adult each week after the Sunday service and give them a hug and a handshake and sit and spend a few minutes asking about that person. I can’t tell you how many delighted people have enjoyed a little attention!!!! Just teach your children to come outside of themselves and minister with kindness!!!!!! Not letting them just run off immediately with other kids will strengthen their little hearts and minds considerably, and bless many people along the way!!!!!!!
Sonja says
After moving to a new state, I joined a “newcomer” group to meet new people. One of the girls in the group had a house fire that winter so I called others in the group to fix meals for the family. That tradition has stuck with them, 6 years later and has expanded to new mothers, moving away and deaths in the family. I am so happy to see this ministry has continued even though I am not really part of the group anymore.
Sarah says
Like Autumn, our church has a ministry called Angel Food. There are a bunch of us who agree to make either bread, dessert, salad or a main dish and the entire meal is delivered to people who are going through a rough time (new birth, a loss, a time of struggle, etc). I don’t have a lot of time to do things like that right now given that I work full time and want to be a very involved mom. I can always find the time to make one part of a meal and drop it off to our deliverers. We received Angel Food after our daughter was born and it was wonderful. I asked for the recipes and put them into my daughter’s baby album.
Andrea in Alaska says
I was so blessed when I was an AIM student to receive hospitality from so many tables. I remember just feeling overwhelmed and humbled by the many people who invited me to stay in their home or fed me a homecooked meal. I traveled all over the United States and was generously fed by Christian women in every town I stopped in. I had my first brisket and real Tex/Mex while traveling around Texas. :)
I determined that someday my home would always be open to young singles, college students, etc. I still have a dream of providing a “safe haven” gathering place for young adults to come to on a Sunday evening with a big pot of chili on the stove, a closet full of games, and a comfy livingroom to “crash” in. We haven’t quite gotten there yet, but we are working toward it. We have been organizing a young adult group for several years now. It is VERY frustrating having to rely on the hospitality of others to make it work. Until this month, our home was too small to have more that two or three people over to it, now we have a large enough home, but it’s over an hour away from the congregation we worship at. We’re still dreaming and working, though. Maybe someday. Or maybe God will help redirect our dreams.
Julie says
I like to get together with a group of women from our church every other month or so and make up a whole batch of freezer meals for the coming months. That way we have a supply on hand for any new moms, illnesses or other hardship. Plus the fellowship of cooking with other ladies is a bonus!