Grace Christian Church cares. We care about how we represent God, we care about how we live out God’s way, and we care about how we love others. Jesus commanded us to love others, and He said THAT would be the way the world will know we are His disciples (John 13:34-35). We at Grace very much want the world to know we are His disciples.
The core values of Grace Christian Church are all about loving others…they are Christlikeness, Compassion, and Community. We strive to have everything we do rooted in these values, and we hope to make the world a better place because of it. One such way we try to do this is through a ministry of Grace called Beloved Community. Formed in 2016, Beloved Community is made up of people that care about the community around us, and yearn to bring His love and light into the darkness of racial injustice – and the many areas that are affected by it.
The mission statement of Beloved Community says “To be a welcoming people who provide a loving space for bringing awareness and understanding of our differences so that we may ‘with one voice glorify God.’” As we prepare to celebrate the memory of Martin Luther King and all he stands for, we at Beloved Community have chosen a special labor of love for our Martin Luther King Day of Service – we are launching a food and fund drive to help our local community. We hope that awareness of food insecurity in our own neighborhoods will spur compassion in all of us.
We remember the words of Martin Luther King:
“Ultimately a great nation is a compassionate nation. No individual or nation can be great if it does not have a concern for ‘the least of these.’”
Our drive to show compassion will kick off on Martin Luther King Day, January 18 2021, with our mission of love ending on Valentine’s Day, February 14, 2021. We are working in conjunction with Fufill – Monmouth & Ocean (formerly called the FoodBank of Monmouth & Ocean Counties). Fufill helps the community in many ways through various programs, not just through food aid – hence the name change. We are excited to be partnering with them for our service project.
We hope you will support the ministry of Beloved Community by opening your hearts to our food drive. If you have any questions about donating, feel free to text Kathleen M (732-241-8006).
WHEN TO DONATE: Martin Luther King Day (1/18/21) through Valentine’s Day (2/14/21).
(Inside) – PREFERRED – Monday-Thursday 10am-5pm
(Outside) – Friday-Sunday until 5pm (DO NOT LEAVE FOOD OUTSIDE IN FREEZING WEATHER)
WHERE TO DONATE: Weekdays – You can put the food in boxes in Youth Room. On weekends, you will find at least one labeled bin outside the Youth Room door – located on the driveway of Grace Christian Church. If you would like to donate and cannot transport the food to Grace, text Kathleen M for someone to arrange a pick up (732-241-8006).
WHAT TO DONATE: Non-perishable food (NO GLASS – see list below) & funds (checks accepted – made out to Grace Christian Church with “food drive” in the memo section)
There are three ways you can help join our fight against the injustice of hunger:
- NON-PERISHABLE FOOD DONATIONS:
Only non-perishable items can be donated (see list from Fulfill below)…and NO GLASS ITEMS CAN BE ACCEPTED. Please know that both we at Beloved Community and everyone at Fulfill are grateful for ANY amount of food donated. We at Grace know God can do a lot with little, so please know whatever you can give is a blessing.
- FUND DONATIONS:
If you prefer to donate with funds,we at Grace will be happy to pass on your generosity to Fulfill. Please note that again, ANY AMOUNT IS APPRECIATED, for we feel God blesses what is given from the heart. One amazing fact is that Fufill is extremely adept at what they do — and for EVERY DOLLAR they can help provide THREE meals to the hungry! Checks can be made out to Grace Christian Church with ‘food drive’ in the memo section.
- PRAYER:
If for any reason at all you are you are unable to give in the above ways, Beloved Community would be blessed by your prayers — for both our drive — and for those that are in need. Our drive would never be successful without God’s involvement, and as we serve others in His Name we consider your prayers a priceless gift.
FUFILL – MONMOUTH & OCEAN – MOST NEEDED FOOD ITEMS
Special notes:
(When possible please follow these guidelines, as foods with better nutrition is of more benefit to all…these guidelines are from Fufilll.)
1. Please look for low sodium options – 140mg. or less per serving OR 5% daily value (DV) or less per serving
2. Please select cereals with whole grains listed as one of the first ingredients on the label. Per serving, look for less than 10g sugar, 3-5g of fiber, and 5g or more of protein.
3. PLEASE – NO GLASS CONTAINERS!!! (Fulfill’s request)
- CANNED TUNA, CHICKEN, & SALMON (in water)
- CANNED VEGGIES (low sodium, where possible)
- COOKING OILS
- SHELF-STABLE MILK
- PANCAKE MIX & SYRUP
- PEANUT BUTTER & JELLY
- CANNED FRUITS (100% juice)
- SOUPS (low sodium, where possible)
- suggestions:
chicken noodle
chicken & rice
beef vegetable
minestrone
split pea
lentil
- READY-TO-EAT CANNED MEALS
- suggestions:
bean, chicken or beef chili
vegetable, chicken, or beef stew
beef or cheese ravioli
chicken with rice or vegetables
spaghetti & meatballs
- HOT CEREALS
- suggestions:
oatmeal
steel-cut oats
Farina
museli
- COLD CEREALS
- suggestions:
Toasted O’s (original or honey nut)
bran flakes
corn flakes
shredded wheat
brown rice
Grape-Nuts
Special K
Fiber One cereals
Cascadian Farms cereals
Kashi cereals
We consider it a joy to work alongside other hearts wanting to fight injustice. As we give God the glory and remember He loves us all equally, we remember His words in Isaiah 58:10:
“Feed the hungry, and help those in trouble. Then your light will shine out from the darkness, and the darkness around you will be as bright as noon.”
From all of us at Beloved Community, we thank you for helping us try to do just that.