LOVING THY NEIGHBORS: First Presbyterian Church approaches 12 years of serving free meals each month

The First Presbyterian Church of Andalusia gives back to the community and offers free hot and healthy meals to the community through its “Love Thy Neighbor” program each month.

Kelley Faulkner, left, and Judith Ugstad prepare baked ziti during the First Presbyterian Church’s “Love Thy Neighbor”
program on Wednesday.

Kelley Faulkner, who has been a member of the First Presbyterian Church since 1995, serves as the organizer of the program. The church will celebrate 12 years of “Love Thy Neighbor” next month.

“We started doing ‘Love Thy Neighbor’ in April 2013,” Faulkner said. “Some of the ladies in the church were doing a Bible study, and it kept coming up. We talked to the congregation and realized it was being talked about quite often. While we knew it would be a big commitment, we started it and haven’t looked back.”

FPC holds two meals each month with breakfast on the second Saturday from 8 to 9 a.m. and lunch served on the fourth Wednesday from 11 a.m. to noon. Faulkner added that drive-thru and dine-in options are available.

“We would love to have more people dine in with us. It seems that most people have pulled up and taken the meal with them. Our dining room was filled before COVID, but things have changed since then,” she said.

According to Faulkner, the church averages approximately 100 meals for breakfast and 150 meals for lunch. Church members and volunteers prepare all meals in the church’s kitchen. Individuals receive a bag consisting of two plates and a dessert while meals last.

“We cut it back to an hour because people come right away. We want people to hopefully come and get a meal. Most of the time, it’s hard to determine how many people you are going to feed, so it’s first come first serve,” she said.

The meal program is made possible through volunteer efforts of the congregation along with donations. Preparations include planning the meal and grocery shopping.

“It has been a blessing to us as much as the community. I always tell people, ‘God gives us the strength to do this’ because it is a big undertaking to do the program twice a month. Some days, meals take two days to cook, and sometimes, we can get here in the morning and cook. We get to the church at 6:30 a.m. for the breakfast meal and 7:30 a.m. for the lunch meal,” Faulkner said.

Wednesday’s lunch was baked ziti, salad, garlic bread, and cupcakes. Sue Bass Wilson compiles a message with a Bible verse that is included with each meal.

“Sometimes, I don’t even know what the meal will be until the day I go grocery shopping. When I get in the store, it’s wherever God leads me and tells me this is what we will be having. I have people ask me a few days before, ‘what are we eating this month?’ and I say, ‘I don’t know yet.’ Sue prints the message and has it ready for us every meal,” she said.

For more information about the First Presbyterian Church’s Love Thy Neighbor program call 334- 222-5352.