BY DAVID MAMARIL HOROWITZ

david.horowitz@bgdailynews.com

 

With an extensive renovation at First Christian Church set to begin, its widely used ministry Community Grocery Store is temporarily moving to State Street Baptist Church — which, in time, plans to also offer the program.

The volunteer-driven operation, previously available three days a week, lets Warren County residents choose items from its food bank free of charge once every 30 days.

Beginning May 20, State Street Baptist Church, which has its own small food pantry operation, will provide a space for the larger program Tuesdays, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., and Thursdays, 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. First Christian Church volunteers will guide those at State Street Baptist Church on how to execute the program, and they plan to pass on its shelving and food following the renovation — the Baptist church plans to then offer its own community grocery store program once the initial program moves back into the Christian church, according to State Street Baptist Church Senior Pastor the Rev. Kortney Warren.

“When I became the pastor in 2021, the vision I had was to be a community church — and that means serving the community,” Warren said. “So, in what ways are we able to serve the community as Christ was serving the community? What ways can we expand what we have to reach more people? …

“We may worship differently, but we serve the same God. And that God calls us to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, uplift the broken together.”

First Christian Church Senior Minister the Rev. Megan Huston anticipates the $1.7 million renovation will reach completion around November.

“A lot of the community thinks the churches are divided because that’s the most segregated day of the week — Sunday,” said Johnalma Barnett, one of the Community Grocery Store’s longtime volunteers. “I think it’s going to be a good thing for the two churches, even if it’s just for a few months, to get together on that because it shows the community that the churches are not so divided.”

A community model

The First Christian Church evolved from its decadeslong food bank to the community grocery store model in 2021, a transition that has effectively served thousands across Warren County. Food insecurity had especially risen through the COVID-19 pandemic, during which Huston saw need increase around fivefold at the food bank.

Last year, with around 35 volunteers, the program took in nearly 36,000 pounds of donated goods and served more than 3,800 households, Huston said. It also distributed more than 17,000 pounds of fresh produce, largely provided by the not-for-profit Glean Kentucky, which served southcentral Kentucky until the end of last year.

“First Christian Church loves its neighbors and walks alongside them with dignity, hope, compassion and respect while supplementing their food needs through the Community Grocery Store — that’s our mission,” Huston said. “I think we’re moving the needle for food insecurity in our community, but I also think that what’s important to us about this ministry is that it emphasizes mutual transformation. It isn’t about us fixing someone else’s problems — we know it’s a drop in the bucket — but we feel that when you meet someone with respect and compassion, that that makes the difference.”

She and volunteers described supporting community members in other ways.

“People have a story, and maybe we can help them in some other way, whether it’s helping them with other resources or just listening to them, giving them a hug, or saying a prayer with them. We try to be more than just a food source,” volunteer Julie Boca said.

“I think it’s given me a sense of purpose. And I just feel like it’s something that I really get a lot of satisfaction from. Our volunteers always say that we’re thankful that we can help people, but that we’re also blessed by helping them because we get a glimpse of what other people are going through and we get to know them on a first-name basis.”