Feeding Our Flock -- Community meal volunteers taking Bible verse to heart

Two-year-old Jaxson Longberry scoops up mashed potatoes and gravy during a "Feeding Our Flock" community supper. The suppers are open to everyone, at 5:30 p.m., on Thursdays, in the basement Fellowship Hall (accessible by elevator if needed) of Memorial United Methodist Church, at the corner of Norris Avenue and E Street in McCook. (Connie Jo Discoe/McCook Gazette)

McCOOK, Neb. -- "For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in." Matthew 25:35

There's a group of Christians in McCook who take this Bible verse to heart and practice, and have, for many years now, invited God's people into their midst for a warm meal.

Hosted each week by Memorial United Methodist Church, the "Feeding Our Flock Community Supper" is open to everyone. "It's called a 'community' supper," says coordinator Marilyn Anderson, "because the community is invited," to help prepare the meals, to deliver meals to shut-ins, to serve those who come for supper, and to come eat.

Feeding Our Flock coordinator Marilyn Anderson, left, and volunteer Jan Goodenberger fill one of 40 home delivery boxes. On a recent Thursday evening, about 85 more ate in the dining room. (Connie Jo Discoe/McCook Gazette)

Linda Lafferty started the suppers about 25 years ago, Marilyn said, serving meals once a month to usually 25 to 30 people. However, in time, a growing need to feed the hungry prompted coordinators to prepare a warm meal more often -- once a week.

On a recent Thursday evening, Marilyn and a corps of volunteers prepared 40 meals for home delivery and served about 85 people in the church's Fellowship Hall.

Supper opens with a prayer of thanks; serving starts promptly at 5:30 p.m. There is no collection or free will offering taken for supper.

The program operates with donations from the public; all the labor is volunteer. Marilyn develops the menus around donations of food or around ingredients purchased with monetary donations. She knows that women's groups from Peace Lutheran, St. Patrick's Catholic Church, St. Alban's Episcopal, Garden Prairie Methodist and McCook Congregational churches share and rotate responsibility to provide salads and desserts. And she knows she has drivers -- Bill Marshall, Donna and Chet DeVaughn, Darlene Loper and Susan Yates, and substitutes if needed -- to deliver meals to shut-ins.

Devona Houghtelling, Bob Golding, Don and Alice Harpst and Marilyn's husband, Gene, are the usual suspects when it comes to volunteering each week.

"I have never had a day in my 10 years without help," Marilyn says. "I go on faith that someone will come and help cook and serve, and clean up. I always have faith that it will work out."

Marilyn plans a full hot meal: meat, side dishes and dessert. They've fixed "breakfast for supper" once in a while. They serve soup when it gets really cold outside.

Marilyn encourages churches, groups, clubs, organizations, businesses, school classes, to volunteer to help prepare and serve a meal. She is also looking for someone to help her as an assistant. A good assistant, someone who might then want to take over full responsibility, "would be a godsend," Marilyn said.

Groups wanting to arrange a time to help may contact Marilyn at (308) 345-5602 or (308) 350-0438. Individuals can just show up at the Methodist Church any Thursday about 2:30 p.m.

To arrange for home delivery, call the Methodist Church office, (308) 345-2445, and provide name, address, phone number and number of meals requested.