At First Baptist, one of our core values is Genuine Care for People. Meal Care during a difficult season is one of the best ways to share the love of Jesus with church members. Galatians 6:10 says, “So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.” In seeking to be obedient to Jesus, we want to surround one another with compassion and mercy through preparing food and meeting the needs of our brothers and sisters in Christ.
The Meal Care Ministry at First Baptist is always in need of volunteers who are willing to prepare meals on a moment’s notice for a family in need. Sometimes, there will be gaps to be filled in Meal Trains. Other times, we can use extra Meal Care Coordinators who can work with families on setting up Meal Trains and spreading the word. If you are interested in volunteering with this ministry, head to fbcjax.com/serve and click on “Meal Care Team.” Once you are placed on the team, you’ll hear from a deacon on the Meal Care Committee who will let you know of opportunities to serve.
For most situations, we recommend supplying 3-4 meals per week, over a span of 1-2 weeks. This will cover the family without overwhelming their fridge space. Towards the end of the planned Meal Train, check-in with the family to see if they may be in need of more meals.
We recommend the following amounts:
Yes! We use TakeThemAMeal.com to schedule and track Meal Trains throughout the church.
Head to TakeThemAMeal.com and click Create. Follow the instructions to fill out the form:
Fill out the rest of the form to set things up. Be sure to include special drop-off instructions like gate codes or restrictions on ringing the doorbell (sleeping babies!) You can then click “Invite Friends” and share the schedule via Facebook, text message, email, or direct link. You can find more information on setting up a Meal Train using the website at TakeThemAMeal.com/help. If you are having difficulty setting up a Meal Train through TakeThemAMeal, contact your Meal Train Committee deacon for assistance.
Head to PerfectPotluck.com and follow the instructions. This site is run by the same folks at TakeThemAMeal and functions very similarly.