UGRM offers sustenance for body and soul 

It’s a sign of the times, unfortunately, that an event we normally celebrate gives us pause. But, that was the case recently with the Thanksgiving meal served by United Gospel Rescue Mission. And, I understand why. These are scary times for a lot of reasons.
The mission has for more than 50 years provided a holiday meal with all the trimmings to those in need on Thanksgiving Day. Some may not have the money to cook a ham, turkey, vegetables and dessert at home.
Others, like first responders, have to work, or older or disabled members of our community may not be able to prepare a feast of their own. Some participate for companionship.
There are many reasons the UGRM provides the meal, and they cover a lot more ground than simple sustenance.
But, this year’s event made at least one reader question the safety of such an endeavor during the current pandemic, and they shared their concern with us.
I talked about this recently with Pastor Greg Kirk, who oversees the meal and the mission.
He and I have talked a lot over the years, and his concern for what is best for the community has always been evident in those conversations. Whether it’s a holiday meal like this, the mission’s men’s recovery program, or feeding hundreds during disasters that required a temporary shelter to open at the Black River Coliseum, UGRM helps fill a lot of needs in our community.
This Thanksgiving, Pastor Kirk said, the need for the mission to step up was even greater.
He saw that because they served more meals than ever before, by a significant amount.
The day normally sees 1,200 to 1,300 deliveries. This Thanksgiving, they delivered 1,800 meals.
They also served about 200 people in house, but Pastor Kirk says many precautions were taken to try to make it as safe as possible for these visitors, some of which don’t have a home to have a meal delivered to.
The mission only allowed four people per table. The tables normally seat six to eight people.
The number of tables in the dining room was greatly reduced, Pastor Kirk said. No one was allowed to wait inside the mission for a table. Once a four-person group left, the table was sanitized before another four-person group was allowed in.
Volunteers and participants (when not eating) were asked to wear masks.
Masks are probably one of the most difficult conversations any of us have these days.
“I’m not going to say 100% wore masks, but many people wore masks,” said Pastor Kirk. “We met with our representatives from the health department and asked how should we do this. We followed every (recommendation).
“Sanitize was the name of the day. If they didn’t have a mask, a mask was provided. I can’t force someone to wear a mask, but masks were provided.”
Many of the people the mission serves have challenges — whether it be health, financial, a living situation, a disability or another need — and the last thing he would ever want, Pastor Kirk said, would be to cause a public safety issue.
For Pastor Kirk, the Thanksgiving meal is about more than feeding the body, it’s about feeding the soul.
You kind of feel hopeless if you can’t provide for your family the way you want to at the holidays, he said.
“We feel like it’s our duty to give somebody a little bit of hope for the holidays,” he said. “We’re going to do exactly the same thing for Christmas, giving somebody a little bit of hope for the holidays.”
The Christmas meal usually serves fewer people, but because so many families won’t be able to travel or gather this year, Pastor Kirk thinks it might outpace even the Thanksgiving day deliveries.
The mission’s biggest need will be delivery drivers on Christmas day, he said.
Drivers can call and let the mission know they want to volunteer or they can just show up at 10:30 a.m. Christmas Day (I’m sure a call would be appreciated for the planning of such a huge endeavor.)
And, if you need a meal delivered, you can call the same number, 573-785-4683. It would be great to call ahead, but if you call Christmas morning, I know Pastor Kirk will do his best to get you some of the turkey smoked by the mission and all of the trimmings they’re preparing.
The mission also has accepted requests made via Facebook, but Pastor Kirk warned those last few days before the big meal is served can get pretty busy, and he sometimes misses last minute messages there.
“The rescue mission takes the COVID virus very seriously,” he said. “We’re going to serve a Christmas meal, and we’re going to tell people the same.
“We want to provide for people from our blessings. God has blessed the rescue mission so much this year. By us being able to hand out this food is a way of handing out God’s blessings.”
Donna Farley is the editor of the Daily American Republic and can be reached at dfarley.dar@gmail.com.