The Rev. Dr. Tom Stephenson was installed in mid-April as the new pastor at First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) on Columbus Street in Wilmington. To introduce the Stephenson family to the Wilmington community, his former congregation in Columbus, Ga. did something a bit different.

For two weeks in April, Central Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) collected monetary and non-perishable food donations. The food was then shared with local hunger ministries in the Columbus, Ga. area with the cash donations to benefit Wilmington through Sugartree Ministries. All told, hundreds of food items were contributed and $1,000 was given by the congregation to Sugartree Ministries (Your Father’s Kitchen).

Stephenson said, “This tandem outreach effort creatively tied two communities and two congregations together with the mercy and love of God. This is the way God’s family should work at all times, and I am deeply honored and privileged to have pastored in both communities.”

First Christian Church participates regularly in Sugartree Ministries through donations and by volunteering to cook and serve in Your Father’s Kitchen.

The effort was conceived by Elder Linda Whitehead of the congregation in Georgia.