Wytheville church continues monthly meal

By WAYNE QUESENBERRY/Staff

What began in 2001 as a Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve meal has evolved into a successful and unique ministry at Mt. Pleasant United Methodist Church in Wytheville. Since then a free community lunch is served – and delivered – the fourth Saturday of every month.

“We wish we could do it every weekend or every day,” said Melissa Vaught, one of the program’s original organizers. “So many older people are going hungry because they can’t afford to buy medicine and food.”

She noted that the Rev. C.W. Huff, pastor of the church at that time, had a passion for missions and began the meals for Thanksgiving and Christmas. He also started the church’s small food pantry which had to eventually close because of expenses and unavailable supplies, Vaught said.

The community meal began Thanksgiving Day 2001 for those who could get to the church fellowship hall. There were 67 meals served that day.

When Huff left in 2002, Mildred “Mert” U. Stafford was put in charge of the program. She, too, had been involved from the beginning.

Vaught and her husband, Robert, occasionally help with the community meal now. They have had to cut back on their time because of other obligations.

“I felt like the community meal was something needed,” noted Stafford, a retired nurse and former school teacher. “It was originally aimed toward our seniors. I’m appalled there is no Meals-on-Wheels here or a soup kitchen. There’s a real need for a regular daily food program.”

The holiday meals were eventually stopped when Morning Star Outreach Ministries in Wytheville began its community Thanksgiving Day dinner and attendance at the Christmas Eve meal declined. The community meal was then served on the same day as distribution from the church’s food pantry but changed to the fourth Saturday of each month after the pantry had to close.

To meet the expenses of the community meal program – average cost of $300 per month, Mt. Pleasant United Methodist Church founded Faith Promise in 2002. Members of the congregation pledge a specific amount to the program each month and other mission projects.

Donations also come from some of the people receiving the meals and others who know about the program.

According to Stafford, the community meal averages feeding around 170 people each month. Some 20 people eat at the church with the remainder receiving home deliveries.

She pointed out there are no restrictions for receiving the community meal. The only requirement, Stafford said, is that anyone wanting a meal should call the church office on Thursday or Friday of the week meals are served.

In charge of buying food for the community meal, Stafford looks for bargains, especially meat prices. She also shops at area Sam’s Clubs.

The church is equipped with five freezers donated to the community meal. The kitchen also has a gas stove and convection oven.

“The cheapest meal is pinto beans and cornbread,” Stafford said. “Spaghetti and hot dogs are more expensive. It takes about 25 pounds of hamburger for our spaghetti sauce and we make our own chili for the hot dogs.”

While the number of volunteer cooks varies, most of them are in the kitchen regularly. Joining Stafford are Dorothy Taylor, Pastor Joe Mack Taylor, Judy Lanter, Karen Allison and Gracie Cassell.

The cooks are on the job between 6:30 and 7 a.m. on the fourth Saturday. They don’t leave until around 1 p.m.

Other members of the congregation help package the food for delivery while some help with the cleanup.

Among the delivery people are Marie Bishop, Judy Rorrer, Kelly Nice, Bill and Sarah Williamson, Joe Mack Taylor and Benny Lynn. Their routes are coordinated for maximum service.

Bishop has been delivering the meals soon after the program started. She has around 23 people on her route which takes about an hour to complete.

“I deliver mostly to the elderly,” Bishop said, “but I do have some families. I do it to give back to the community. This is a good service we provide. I look at it as a mission. It’s something we can see results from.”

While the community meal is time-consuming and stressful at times, Stafford said she never gets tired of it. She finds it all worthwhile.

“This is not a one-person operation,” Stafford said. “It takes a lot of people to make it work – from those who give donations to those who clean up after the meal. Everyone cooperates to meet a need.”

Wayne Quesenberry can be reached at 228-6611 or wquesenberry@wythenews.com.