We’ve all heard the verses from Matthew 25:35-37: “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.”
Paying homage to those sacred words of the New Testament, Friendship Church of the Nazarene, located between Ft. Jesup and Robeline, has provided a free meal on the last Thursday of every month that provides food and fellowship to all interested parties.
“Once a month we come together to offer the community as a whole a free meal,” explains Tami Faust, who has been in charge of the church’s Friendship Meal Ministry for the past few months. “I find this is the perfect way to love on people and show that both God and we as a church care about them.”
After the better part of a year in existence, the ministry is truly hitting its stride, attaining a new record of 88 meals served in July with around 30 of those being delivered to people who ask. However, most choose to pick up the meals in person and either bring them home or eat and fellowship with those in attendance.
That number of meals is a huge undertaking for a small country church, and Faust points toward an amazing team that is always there to assist. Monique Saucier has stepped up to become a huge help over the past few months, putting in hours of work to make the meals happen. Gary Ammons mans the grill when the weather isn’t so oppressively hot and everyone there beams about the homemade desserts that Karla Knippers creates.
Pastor James William Ericson, who has been at Friendship Church of the Nazarene for the past nine years, is quite taken with the program.
“Community outreach is vital to any church, and I’m truly blessed with a church family that has taken on the responsibility of this ministry and others we provide,” he says following a round of food deliveries.
Ericson also points out that the other church ministries receive that level of help too. One such ministry offers crisis care kits, which are provided free during times of natural disasters and fires, the likes of which plagued Sabine in 2023. The church also offers a van ministry, plus outreach to women’s shelters, jails, and other similar facilities.
They also hold district events such as Bible quizzes and camps.
“For a tiny, 95-yearold church, we are truthly thriving,” he says happily.
The church’s next big event is a family fun day on August 10. More information on said gathering and future church events can be found on their Facebook page or by calling 318-256-3842.
Friendship Church of the Nazarene is located at 88 Friendship Rd., Robeline.