"Feed My Sheep" Meal Program
At
St. Matthew CME Church

MISSION: We believe that all people have a right to a full, healthy and nutritious meal. Thus, our mission is to serve meals in a way that will promote and encourage the physical and spiritual integrity of the individual and the family unit.

VISION: We envision a community that is physically healthy and sound, free from diseases caused by malnutrition and knowledgeable about meal planning, food handling and preparation.

The “Feed My Sheep” meal program is a meal ministry that serves over 7,200 meals a year to the homeless and poor in the low-income area of Milwaukee. Meals are served on the second through the fourth Sundays of each month between 8:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. Motivated by Christ’s love, we believe that when we feed the poor we feed Christ, and that when we do this extraordinarily well, Heaven celebrates.

The “Feed My Sheep” meal program was organized under the sponsorship of St. Matthew CME Church. At its inception in 2001, we served approximately 50 meals a month. Today, we serve over 600 healthy, nutritious breakfasts per month to adults and children alike. We have found that as we sow hospitality, fellowship and harmonious interaction between guests and servers, everyone reaps the benefit of having their hearts and minds intertwined together in a sense of true community.

In addition to food, we distribute toiletries, clothing items, bread & pastries, and other donated items. We also offer our guests what we consider to be the greatest gift of all—an opportunity to pray. Through prayer, volunteers and guests receive benefits that only prayer can offer. Any willing individual is given the opportunity to pray with a group of people or to lead the group in prayer. For those who do not care for group prayer, we accept their prayer requests and offer them the opportunity to have someone pray for them.

Last of all, we offer an Adult Nutrition Educational Workshop. This workshop is sponsored by the Koinonia Family Development Center and is taught by a Registered Dietician. Its purpose is to teach participants how to plan nutritious low-cost meals for themselves and their families. Workshop topics include such things as: How to Stretch Your Food Dollars; Menu Planning and Shopping on a Budget; Eating for Good Health; Using the New Food Pyramid; and Understanding Food Labels. This last class is a practicum that features a “hands on opportunity” trip to the grocery store. Ultimately, the workshop’s objective is to empower individuals and their families to become self-sufficient and independent.

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Do you love working with people? Nourish souls as well as bodies! Join our meal ministry family. Provide some hospitality and greet, interact and socialize with partakers of our meal program. We need your smiles and laughter at our table. Meals are served 2nd through the 4th Sunday from 8am to 9am; minimum commitment of 1 hour per month. We are seeking volunteers who are outgoing, friendly and open-minded. This is a wonderful ministry.