A challenge prompts new ministry in tough times

They didn’t expect all this! Trinity Mennonite Church, Morton, Ill., is swimming against the economic currents by increasing ministry staff, expanding outreach ministries, and expanding a food pantry building debt free.

Isn’t that contrarian at best and foolishness at worst in these economic times? Trinity’s pastor, Mike Hutchings, says a church anniversary celebration helped provide a challenge to expand local ministry, buildings, and staffing.

“We had a visiting minister speak to us at our 30th anniversary celebration … and he told the story of being touched by God’s love when Trinity quietly provided assistance to his family during the first years of his marriage,” Hutchings said. The guest minister said this experience resulted from the church’s DNA, so “he challenged our church to go public with the ministry of providing the basics for needy households.”

Hutchings remembers that a group of people met to pray and brainstorm a response to the anniversary challenge. The group ignored the prevailing winds of economic change and instead prayed for vision, direction, and permission to see if God was leading them to this ministry.

“The praying group began to organize and call us into this ministry,” says Hutchings, “And we didn’t expect we’d be doing all of this!”

On Saturdays, as many as 110 households, 500 to 600 people, are found registering at the food pantry. “We didn’t dream of this kind of volume when we began,” Hutchings said.

“We have about 11 pick-ups in the community – we stop at Wal-Mart, Kroger, Sam’s Club, and others. Our food pantry sources also include a regional food bank and offerings from Trinity Mennonite and community churches,” he added.

Hutchings and Trinity realize they are only part of the wider church. “We deeply appreciate the contributions from our neighbor churches in the community as we recognize we are unable to do all of this. And, we have identified other needs in the area – for example, clothing and furniture – and have asked other churches to take the lead as we help them.”

The Good $ense* curriculum material and the motto, “You can’t out give God” have been crucial to the food pantry expansion at the church. Hutchings said they’ve decided what is good for the church is also good for people registering at the food pantry ministry. “We’re offering another Good $ense class this month to anyone who registers at the food pantry or for anyone requesting help from our Brotherhood Fund.”

When clients register on Saturday morning at the food pantry, they indicate how many people are living in their household. And, while they wait for volunteers to match their needs with the appropriate number of food units, other volunteers greet and often pray with those gathered and waiting. After the food is provided, more volunteers carry bags to the parking lot so that more one-on-one encouragement and ministry is possible.

Paying for the food pantry facility is part of the challenge. “We’re walking through this with a pay-as-you-go philosophy,” Hutchings said. “We have a debt-free building, God has been generous to us, and we’re confident He will provide funds for the ministry expansion.” Hutchings said the food pantry facility will be expanded, beginning with $50,000 in seed money that has already been given. He notes Trinity attenders and people from community churches have responded generously when they notice the pay-as-you-go philosophy and the needs of the food pantry ministry.

Their church Web site identifies the food pantry as “Community Harvest” and invites viewers to call if they have needs for daily provision. The ministry complements other local mission efforts including Kingdom Kids, Care Ministry, small groups, and more as the people of Trinity aim toward a vision of “Visibly demonstrating the Kingdom of God” in the Morton community.

* The Good $ense budgeting curriculum is available through MMA’s bookstore.

Pieces of Trinity Mennonite Church’s ministry journey

• A challenge to go public with congregation’s DNA.
• Time to pray, process, brainstorm, and plan.
• A congregational history of frugality while current economic conditions pointed to a pay-as-you-go philosophy.