Harrisburg Baptist Church host food giveaway
Clay Anthony serves as Missions Pastor and the event coordinator. He says the church conducts these food giveaways three times a year.
TUPELO, Miss. (WCBI) – Cars were lined up early on August 5 waiting for the Food Giveaway sponsored by Harrisburg Baptist Church in conjunction with the Mid-South Food Bank.
Boxes were distributed to those who presented the proper ID.
Clay Anthony serves as Missions Pastor and the event coordinator. He says the church conducts these food giveaways three times a year.
“Well our church, Harrisburg loves our community,” Anthony said. “We love Tupelo, Lee County, north Mississippi. And this is just a very small thing that we try to do for friends and neighbors in purchasing this food so we can give the food out. We know in our area there are lots of food insecurities.”
Anthony said the church is more than just about what happens on Sunday mornings.
“We believe here at Harrisburg that it is the church’s responsibility to be the tip of the spear in reaching into the community to meet needs,” Anthony said. “And yes of course we want to share the good news of Jesus with everybody we come into contact with. We want to share the gospel as often as we can. But it’s really difficult to share the Good News of Jesus when someone is hungry.”
About sixty church members volunteered this weekend including Taylor Tutor who greeted the visitors and passed out information about the church.
“We all have bad days and I think it’s very easy just to share a smile to brighten someone’s day,” Tutor said. “People do that to me and I love it so. And also the Bible says to treat others how you want to be treated, not how others treat you. And I think we get that twivery now and then. But I just like to be a friendly face and tell people that there are people out here praying for them because not everybody has that. I have a great support system, but I know not everyone has that so I like to be that for people.”
While some were loading boxes into cars, others, like Tupelo High School Senior Sadie Richburg, were loading those boxes. She’s a first-time volunteer, but she believes it is important to serve the community.
“I think a lot of churches especially ours can have like a rep and I think it’s important we’re supposed to be representatives of Jesus,” Richburg said. “And I think getting out here in the heat and just loving on our community and serving and just taking time is a good way to show the love of Christ. And that’s just the way I want to do that but I think it’s importanally act. You can speak all you want. But whenever your actions back it up, that’s when it becomes genuine.”
Anthony says they helped three hundred households with the event.
