By Rev. Larry LeMasters
Humnoke United Methodist Church, under the guidance of Rhonda Parker, the church pianist, has built a “Blessing Box” that will be permanently installed on the grounds of the church as soon as weather permits.
Parker stated, “It has been too cold and rainy. Rain collects here in Humnoke, turning the soil into watery mud, so we have to wait until spring, when the soil is firm enough to hold a foundation, before erecting the box.”
Completion of the Blessing Box marks nearly a two-year mission for Parker. “We could never have completed this project,” Parker said, “without the help of Brother Ron Grigsby, who is a member of the First UMC in Bearden, and who graciously offered to build us a Blessing Box for free.” We asked God for help, and He sent us Ron. What a blessing!
Along with easy-to-open food containers and hygiene items, Bibles will be offered to anyone in need of food, cleanliness, or the Word of God. “We’re praying,” Parker added, “that our box will provide some of God’s children with hope.”
Humnoke’s goal is to have the Blessing Box in the ground and “Open for Business” by Sunday, March 14. “We’ve already collected food, so now we need to get the box up and running,” Parker said.
Humnoke UMC is a small church, by comparison, but it strives to uplift Christian values to all of God’s children by following Jesus’ one simple command, “Feed my people.” A Blessing Box, donated food, and a leader like Rhonda Parker all help in the struggle to feed God’s children.