The Gazebo Gazette
BAY ST. LOUIS (GG) — Recognizing families sometimes face a need for food, the congregation of Old Town Presbyterian Church in Bay St. Louis constructed, stocked, and will maintain a mini pantry to help ease the challenge. Situated on the east side of the church, the mini pantry is filled with non-perishable food items that individuals in need may access at any time.
The Blessing Box project was spearheaded by OTPC Elder Jimmy Ishee and his wife, former Pass Christian Rotary President Carolyn, and is modeled after a grassroots mini-pantry movement started in 2016 by Jessica McClard in Fayetteville, Arkansas. In the years since, hundreds of mini pantries have been established throughout the United States, and the Bay St. Louis church plans to promote its Blessing Box on the national site: littlefreepantry.org
“When Jimmy and Carolyn brought the idea to our church, our close-knit and service-oriented congregation was all-in for the project. And, our agenda is two-fold – to help our neighbors who are in need of food and to encourage them to join us for our Sunday worship services,” explains the Rev. Richard T. Gillespie, Th.D., Stated Supply Pastor of OTPC.
Filled with non-perishable food items, the members of the congregation will work to generate donations to replenish the Blessing Box. Individuals wishing to donate items are encouraged to contact: Carolyn Ishee at carolynishee@gmail.com
Dr. Gillespie added that the mini pantry project is the second community service project the Old Town Presbyterian Church has undertaken in less than two years. The first project, “Faithful Ones”, has provided financial support to Kings Kitchen, the Hancock County Food Bank, Hancock County Boys & Girls Club, and the Lawrence & Lucimarian Roberts Scholarship Fund from the OTPC congregants adding a one-dollar bill to their weekly Sunday worship offering.
For information about Old Town Presbyterian Church PCUSA in Bay St. Louis, feel free to reach out to Dr. Gillespie, at (256) 443-4100, or attend the church’s 10 am Sunday morning service of worship.
Inside Photo Caption: Reverend Gillespie helps Elder Amy Egolf and Congregant Kay Bodamer stock the Old Town Presbyterian Church Blessing Box with non-perishable items to help area families in need of food. Contributed to by Richard Gillespie.
