FOOD OF FAITH – A CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY FEEDING THE HUNGRY
“the problems in Bay City and indeed the world, won’t go away with a few hot meals-but it helps”. F. Davenport
Located at Trinity Episcopal Church, 815 N. Grant St., Bay City, MI 48708 – Telephone: 989-892-5813
OUR PARTNER CHURHES/GROUPS
All Saints/St. James, Bay City Civitan, Grace United Methodist Church East, Grace United Methodist Church West, Dore Family, Essexville Baptist, Faith Lutheran, First Presbyterian, Immanuel Lutheran, Marine Corps., Our Lady of Czestochowa/St Stan's, Our Lady of Czestochowa/St. Hyacinth, Our lady of Peace, Pinconning United Methodist Church, Prince of Peace/Kawkawlin, Trinity St. James/Munger, St. Jude's Thaddeus, St. Luke's, and Trinity Episcopal Church
“the problems in Bay City and indeed the world, won’t go away with a few hot meals-but it helps”. F. Davenport
Located at Trinity Episcopal Church, 815 N. Grant St., Bay City, MI 48708 – Telephone: 989-892-5813
OUR PARTNER CHURHES/GROUPS
All Saints/St. James, Bay City Civitan, Grace United Methodist Church East, Grace United Methodist Church West, Dore Family, Essexville Baptist, Faith Lutheran, First Presbyterian, Immanuel Lutheran, Marine Corps., Our Lady of Czestochowa/St Stan's, Our Lady of Czestochowa/St. Hyacinth, Our lady of Peace, Pinconning United Methodist Church, Prince of Peace/Kawkawlin, Trinity St. James/Munger, St. Jude's Thaddeus, St. Luke's, and Trinity Episcopal Church
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Are you interested in becoming a Food of Faith Partner?
________________________________________ If you have questions about Food of Faith or would like to talk about becoming one of our member churches/groups you can contact Pat Maxim, at 989-892-5949 or send an email to pjmaxim@yahoo.com (include Food of Faith in the Subject line so you don't go to the trash folder). |
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The ministry of Food of Faith
Food of Faith is an interdenominational faith-based outreach program that provides meals to anyone in need, and has been in existence for over 20 years. Our philosophy is simply to reach out to the community in need and provide a warm, pleasant dining experience in a safe and welcoming environment. We are the only facility providing a Sunday meal on Bay City's east side. We serve anyone in need, without requiring proof of need or any personal information. Typically, we serve Bay City, Essexville, and Bangor Township, but it is not unusual to have visitors from other areas.
Food of Faith began in the mid 1990's when we noticed an increasing population of poor, hungry, and homeless people in and around Bay City. Churches and groups were invited to become partners in serving a Sunday afternoon meal. In 2004 the Vestry adopted it as an official Trinity ministry.
Food of Faith has thrived in its ministry in the community. The Food of Faith churches or groups are: All Saints/St. James, Bay City Civitan, Grace United Methodist Church East, Grace United Methodist Church West, Dore Family, Essexville Baptist, Faith Lutheran, First Presbyterian, Immanuel Lutheran, Marine Corps., Our Lady of Czestochowa/St Stan's, Our Lady of Czestochowa/St. Hyacinth, Our lady of Peace, Pinconning United Methodist Church, Prince of Peace/Kawkawlin, Trinity St. James/Munger, St. Jude's Thaddeus, St. Luke's, and Trinity Episcopal Church. Each church/group signs up for between 1 and 5 Sunday’s for the year at our Annual Meeting.
Each group is responsible for providing a complete meal for about 130 people (sometimes more depending on the time of year) and usually consists of an entrée, vegetable, some kind of bread/roll, dessert, and milk. They also bring enough volunteers to help set up the tables (2-3 people), cook and serve the meal (4-6 people), and clean up (2-4 people). It is not unusual to have 10-20 volunteers in the kitchen and dining room preparing the meal, setting up, serving, visiting with our guests, and cleaning up.
The people of Food of Faith
The people of Food of Faith come from all circumstances to share a meal and companionship in the warm and welcoming environment of Trinity. Over the past 10 years, Food of Faith has averaged over 6,800 meals per year (in the past 5 years that number is over 7,000). As you can imagine our kitchen, dining room, bathrooms, common areas, and entrances are well-used, especially in the wintertime, when people come early and stay longer to enjoy hot coffee and companionship in the warmth and safety of our building.
Food of Faith leadership
The Director of Food of Faith manages the day to day oversight of the program, which includes finances, shopping, organizing the leadership team, conducting the annual meeting, supporting our churches/groups and coordinating all the details to keep this program running smoothly, and being the liaison between Trinity, the churches/groups, the community, and the guests of Food of Faith. The director is assisted by a seven member leadership team that provides support every Sunday for the church that is serving by being at Trinity, answering questions, pitching in to help with the dining room, visiting with guests, and doing whatever is needed to have a successful serving day.
Funding for Food of Faith
Food of Faith is sustained entirely by donations from Trinity’s parish and other individuals and groups. These donations pay for things like napkins, placemats, juice mix, condiments, coffee, tea, sugar, creamer, packaging containers, paper cups, salad bowls, dessert bowls/plates, spices, cooking utensils, and whatever else we can, as well as the food we purchase on Trinity’s serving Sundays.
Annual Meetings
At our annual meeting each October, all the churches/groups come together and pick out our Sundays for the upcoming serving year. Without exception, everyone remains flexible with the Sundays they desire and the Sundays they actually end up with. We discuss the successes of the past year and suggest changes for the upcoming year.
The Food of Faith churches/groups sign up to serve a specific number of Sundays throughout the year and they are responsible for providing all the food that will be served, volunteers (usually around 10) to set up, cook, serve, and clean up after the meal. Trinity provides the facility, coffee, juice, paper products, custodial services, and everything else to accomplish a successful serving.
The ministry of Food of Faith
Food of Faith is an interdenominational faith-based outreach program that provides meals to anyone in need, and has been in existence for over 20 years. Our philosophy is simply to reach out to the community in need and provide a warm, pleasant dining experience in a safe and welcoming environment. We are the only facility providing a Sunday meal on Bay City's east side. We serve anyone in need, without requiring proof of need or any personal information. Typically, we serve Bay City, Essexville, and Bangor Township, but it is not unusual to have visitors from other areas.
Food of Faith began in the mid 1990's when we noticed an increasing population of poor, hungry, and homeless people in and around Bay City. Churches and groups were invited to become partners in serving a Sunday afternoon meal. In 2004 the Vestry adopted it as an official Trinity ministry.
Food of Faith has thrived in its ministry in the community. The Food of Faith churches or groups are: All Saints/St. James, Bay City Civitan, Grace United Methodist Church East, Grace United Methodist Church West, Dore Family, Essexville Baptist, Faith Lutheran, First Presbyterian, Immanuel Lutheran, Marine Corps., Our Lady of Czestochowa/St Stan's, Our Lady of Czestochowa/St. Hyacinth, Our lady of Peace, Pinconning United Methodist Church, Prince of Peace/Kawkawlin, Trinity St. James/Munger, St. Jude's Thaddeus, St. Luke's, and Trinity Episcopal Church. Each church/group signs up for between 1 and 5 Sunday’s for the year at our Annual Meeting.
Each group is responsible for providing a complete meal for about 130 people (sometimes more depending on the time of year) and usually consists of an entrée, vegetable, some kind of bread/roll, dessert, and milk. They also bring enough volunteers to help set up the tables (2-3 people), cook and serve the meal (4-6 people), and clean up (2-4 people). It is not unusual to have 10-20 volunteers in the kitchen and dining room preparing the meal, setting up, serving, visiting with our guests, and cleaning up.
The people of Food of Faith
The people of Food of Faith come from all circumstances to share a meal and companionship in the warm and welcoming environment of Trinity. Over the past 10 years, Food of Faith has averaged over 6,800 meals per year (in the past 5 years that number is over 7,000). As you can imagine our kitchen, dining room, bathrooms, common areas, and entrances are well-used, especially in the wintertime, when people come early and stay longer to enjoy hot coffee and companionship in the warmth and safety of our building.
Food of Faith leadership
The Director of Food of Faith manages the day to day oversight of the program, which includes finances, shopping, organizing the leadership team, conducting the annual meeting, supporting our churches/groups and coordinating all the details to keep this program running smoothly, and being the liaison between Trinity, the churches/groups, the community, and the guests of Food of Faith. The director is assisted by a seven member leadership team that provides support every Sunday for the church that is serving by being at Trinity, answering questions, pitching in to help with the dining room, visiting with guests, and doing whatever is needed to have a successful serving day.
Funding for Food of Faith
Food of Faith is sustained entirely by donations from Trinity’s parish and other individuals and groups. These donations pay for things like napkins, placemats, juice mix, condiments, coffee, tea, sugar, creamer, packaging containers, paper cups, salad bowls, dessert bowls/plates, spices, cooking utensils, and whatever else we can, as well as the food we purchase on Trinity’s serving Sundays.
Annual Meetings
At our annual meeting each October, all the churches/groups come together and pick out our Sundays for the upcoming serving year. Without exception, everyone remains flexible with the Sundays they desire and the Sundays they actually end up with. We discuss the successes of the past year and suggest changes for the upcoming year.
The Food of Faith churches/groups sign up to serve a specific number of Sundays throughout the year and they are responsible for providing all the food that will be served, volunteers (usually around 10) to set up, cook, serve, and clean up after the meal. Trinity provides the facility, coffee, juice, paper products, custodial services, and everything else to accomplish a successful serving.
Students from the Bay Arenac ISD Career Center created and produced a public service message focusing on childhood hunger in America. The video was filmed at Trinity during a Sunday meal service. Great Job Students, your message is powerful.