By Sharon Mager, BCM/D Correspondent
Glen Burnie, MD––Glen Burnie Baptist Church (GBBC) members will provide 100 dinners, at the church, to local families on Wednesday, November 21.
The effort came together in less than two months. Kathea Smith, GBBC’s worship leader, was watching television, and was struck by the commercials about Thanksgiving, with images of families sitting around enjoying their meals. Smith began thinking that many people will not have that experience. She spoke with GBBC’s Senior Pastor Robert Rudman about the possibility of the church offering to host a community Thanksgiving meal and be that missing family. Rudman heartily agreed and the church rallied.
Smith began making calls to several charitable organizations. Some didn’t even return the call, but Anne Arundel Department of Social Services called back within a day.
“They were great. They even called during the hurricane,” Smith said. Smith explained that the county has a holiday matching program and they provided the church a list of 25 families. Smith contacted each one and 85% were thrilled about the invitation. In addition, Church members involved with the Inner Harbor Ministry’s Curtis Bay feeding program invited several families and the principal of a local elementary school provided the names of families that would benefit from the dinner.
Church members donated food and will serve on Wednesday. Besides providing a huge turkey dinner with the fixings, families will receive bags of non-perishables and gift certificates to a local grocery store.
Members will also eat and fellowship with the families. There will be craft activities for the children and games for youth.
Smith said the theme for the event is John 21:17, “The third time he said to him, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me?’ Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time,‘Do you love me?’ He said, ‘Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.’Jesus said,‘Feed my sheep.’
“So, we are doing exactly that, both physically and hopefully, spiritually,” Smith said.