Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.

Matthew 25:34b-36 (NRSV)

Everybody’s Got a Hungry Heart (someone said)

Few of us have been wrestling with hunger lately, but that doesn’t mean that hunger is on a holiday. Hunger might arise in Southborough and our surrounding towns for any number of reasons, and in many forms. It might be a physical hunger, a need for nourishing food. Some suffer a spiritual hunger, prompted by months of COVID protocols that left us feeling unconnected and wanting. For some others, it may be a wellness hunger, the kind of ache you might cultivate after days of eating poorly or drinking too much or not getting enough exercise. No one is exempt from the variations of hunger. 

On the other hand, if you haven’t felt hungry lately, you may fall under the false impression that hunger isn’t happening. 

I assure you it is. 

Hunger lurks, in it’s many forms, all over the world. Some of our friends and neighbors may deal with it on a more regular basis. Depending on where you live, you might experience more of one form that another. Regardless, when hunger strikes, the effects are real. 

Year after year, the United Parishes Food Pantry has been accepting donations and using them to fight hunger in our community. The needs can be especially acute at the holidays, when everyone is supposed to be celebrating and feeling happy and connected. If you’re not feeling those things, the added burden of securing food can seem overwhelming. 

So What Can You Do?

At the time of this blog post, the United Parishes Food Pantry in Southborough is putting together food for Thanksgiving celebrations. If you’d like to make a special contribution for this special time, be attentive to the list below and bring in a few of the items mentioned each time you come to church. Together, many hands can make this important work lighter. 

Remember, for all the disagreements that people of faith may engage in, we have unequivocal encouragement from Jesus about feeding those in need. The passage above from Matthew 25 says it plain: we are to be busy feeding, clothing and sheltering those who need help, without reservation and without judgment, in Jesus’s name. How will your thankful heart express your gratefulness this Thanksgiving? 

CURRENT FOOD PANTRY NEEDS FOR THANKSGIVING

Stuffing Mix

Cranberry Sauce

Bread Mixes

Olives

Pickles

Crackers

Fried Onion rings

Nuts

OTHER ONGOING NEEDS

Pancake Mix

Syrup

Baked Beans

Refried Beans

Pears

CapriSun

Uncle Ben’s Ready Rice

Chicken Broth

White Tuna

Beef Stew

Corned Beef Hash

Spam

Vienna Sausages

Brownie Mix

Mayonnaise

Ketchup

Mustard

Tin Foil

Get in the habit of bringing something whenever you come in the building, and leave it in the bins by the back door at Fellowship Hall. Remember: ALWAYS check expiration dates. God asked for our first fruits, not our expired fruits (or condiments, or anything else). When you bring your best, everyone benefits.