Philadelphia Church Shows Love to Community
By Sister Angelena Spears, 1st Episcopal District
“We have come to worship, now we depart to serve,” is part of the benediction at many churches on Sunday mornings. At Hickman Temple AME Church in Philadelphia, it is what the congregation does.
Twice a month the historic AME Church serves as a food distribution point for families in the area. The Church has formed a partnership with a food bank that supplies pallets of meats, cheeses, fresh fruit, and juices, and sometimes personal care items.
The food bank needs volunteers who will manage the food give-away. Sister Arlene Davis, a long-time member of Hickman Temple, says it normally takes about 10 volunteers to successfully handle the food distribution. Those who volunteer are missionaries, church school workers, and stewards. Even the pastor, the Rev. Gregory P. Nelson, can be found filling up boxes of food items for those in line.
The Rev. Nelson says that during the pandemic, now more than ever, the Church must branch beyond its four walls and take the Gospel to the people. “The Church can no longer preach the Gospel in which we ‘talk’ about Jesus and love—we have to ‘show’ it,” he said. “Giving out food twice a month sends a message that the Church is not just a fixture… It shows that the church is a living organism. Every time we are able to give out food, we show the community that the church is alive!” he added.
