Flint River Presbytery

Youths‘ enthusiasm prompts congregations to fight hunger

April 16, 2016

In 2013, several youth within our presbytery attended Presbyterian Youth Triennium, where they learned about a national nonprofit called Stop Hunger Now (www.stophungernow.org), which packs shelf-stable meals for those in need throughout the world. The youth shared their experience with such enthusiasm that by 2014, three “packing sites” were established in different regions of the presbytery. Churches from throughout the presbytery came to prepare meals on World Communion Sunday as an intentional act of “feeding Jesus’ lambs” (John 21:15).

We had a great turnout at all three sites! Assembly lines utilized folks of all ages from 3 to 80-plus, packing thousands of meals in two to three hours. And people loved it! We repeated the event in 2015, adding a fourth packing site, increasing the number of churches participating by 15 percent and increasing the funds raised to purchase the food supplies by 66 percent. The teams at these four sites packed 47,000 meals! Plans are under way for 2016 and beyond.

In 2015, fifteen members of First Presbyterian Church of Donalsonville drove two hours to participate at the packing event at First Presbyterian Church of Albany. Brandy Spooner, a young adult from Donalsonville, said, “It was a very humbling experience to join with others to help those in need. It’s awesome to see that the youngest and oldest of hearts can work so well together for such a great cause. I would like to see this event take place in our own community.”

These individuals returned to Donalsonville and shared their enthusiasm. This year, Donalsonville will serve as one of the five host sites for the event! 

Marsha Bond, Pam Moye and Dot Nickole 
Committee on Mission and Evangelism

Let us join in prayer for:

Presbytery Staff:

Rev. Debra T. Bibler, Executive Presbyter       
Jerry Watts, Stated Clerk                                   
June Denney, Office Administrator  

Presbytery partnerships overseas with “Presbyterian Women of Guatemala”  

PC(USA) Agencies’ Staff

William McConnell, PAM                                                                                   
Terri McCurdy, FDN                                                                                          
John McFayden, BOP

Let us pray

Dear Jesus, you call us from every season of life to feed your lambs. Guide us as we travel to different sites with new people in order to serve your children. We lift up to you all who are hungry, not only for meals, but also for your life-changing word. May our actions offer our brothers and sisters what they need most. Amen.