Submitted photo Volunteers Deborah Stout, Kathy Hauser, Chef Marshall Hauser and Diana Johnson serve up delicious brunch at last month’s FUMC meal. Brunch will be served again on Sunday June 12 at 10:30 and noon. There is no charge, donations are welcome.

Submitted photo
Volunteers Deborah Stout, Kathy Hauser, Chef Marshall Hauser and Diana Johnson serve up delicious brunch at last month’s FUMC meal. Brunch will be served again on Sunday June 12 at 10:30 and noon. There is no charge, donations are welcome.

ELKINS — A free brunch will be offered on Sunday, June 12 to benefit Elkins United Christian Community Center’s “Lunch with Neighbors” program.

The program has served more than 3,000 meals to area people in need since October 2021.

Headed by Greg Johnson, director of Ministry at First United Methodist Church, Lunch With Neighbors has progressed from serving one meal a week to providing more than 200 hot meals a week on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays at the church’s Family Life Center.

“There is a need for ministry outside the walls of churches so big that one congregation can not do it alone,” Johnson said.

Ten churches are involved in the EUCCC and they receive support from numerous organizations.

“Our mission is sharing God’s love by feeding the spiritual and physical needs of the hungry while teaching Christian values to adults, youth and children through and Ecumenical effort,” Johnson noted.

First United Methodist Church has become the base of operations for the Basic Needs Ministry that provides Lunch With Neighbors. The Ministry also furnishes basic items like clothing, hygiene items, and canned food to those in need. Support also came from Elkins Family Worship Center, which recently donated a three-month supply of canned goods and toilet paper to the Ministry.

The brunch will be served June 12 at the First Methodist United Church’s Family Life Center at 10:30 a.m. and again at noon. Everyone in the community is invited to enjoy a wonderful meal and learn about the Ministry’s mission. Chef Marshall Hauser will serve up delicious vegetarian omelet, biscuits and gravy, sausage and fresh fruit salad.

The program is funded though donors and operated by volunteers.

“We rely on donations to maintain day to day operations. The cost to provide Lunch with Neighbors is currently $1,000 a month to feed 200 people a week and is increasing as more people join us for lunch,” Johnson said.

“We have has also received one-time grants from The United Way and Mountaineer Food Bank. The grants have been a big help with the program but originate from American Recovery Program funds and are not ongoing.”

Lunch with Neighbors welcomes everyone who needs a meal to come to the FUMC’s Family Life Center at 315 Kerens Ave. from 12:20-1:30 on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. For information on how you can help, contact Johnson on www.facebook.com/ElkinsUccc, email gdjohnson055@gmail.com, or call or text 417-489-1283.

Churches participating in the Elkins United Christian Community include Davis Memorial Presbyterian Church, Elkins Family Worship Center, First Baptist Church, First United Methodist Church, Goff Street Church of Christ, Highland Park United Methodist Church, Orlena United Methodist Church, Otterbein United Methodist Church, Rivers Living Water Ministries, Summit Church and Woodford Memorial United Methodist Church.