Church, food bank combine forces for a block party

About 500 people turned out for a block party at The Apostolic Promise Church, promising food and fun Saturday afternoon in Cape Girardeau.

Pastor Timothy Lee said he was pleased with the turnout.

“We had people here at 10 a.m.,” he said, for an event that began at 3 p.m.

Lee said the event was held last year at Washington Park in Cape Girardeau, but that was too small, as it turned out.

“Parking was a real problem,” he said, adding parking might be an issue at the church as well.

Kasey Peters and TJ Mitchell watch Darian Jones throw a football during a block party Saturday at the Apostolic Promise Church in Cape Girardeau.BEN MATTHEWS ~ bmatthews@semissourian.com

Although the SEMO Food Bank truck was on hand with enough free meals for 300 families Saturday, Lee said the church has its own food bank it started last year.

“We’ve grown the food bank to buying pallets of food to distribute, taking donations, too,” Lee said.

The Apostolic Promise Church’s food bank delivers meals to seniors who qualify, and the church’s food bank also serves people, including several single mothers and their children, many of whom live in nearby apartment complexes.

“We have a nice facility here,” Lee said, adding it’s a blessing to be able to have their ministry on Sundays to bring people in and be able to perform outreach in other ways as well.

Lee said he thought there were at least 100 volunteers from the church working to register families for the free meal, enter the children’s names in drawings for door prizes, watch the bounce house and obstacle course, run the games and generally make the event a success.

Partygoers enjoy a free lunch Saturday at the Apostolic Promise Church in Cape Girardeau.BEN MATTHEWS ~ bmatthews@semissourian.com

“There’s entertainment inside while the volunteers finish registering people outside,” Lee said, mostly to keep the children occupied until it was time to eat.

The church’s children’s team provided the program, Lee said.

Lee said the food bank is a big deal.

“We’re big on outreach here,” he said. “We have several ministries in our church, and we can provide transportation for people, too.”

A Saturday evening service performed in Spanish is one example of a needed service it provides, Lee said.

“I like for people who need help to know we’re here as a resource,” Lee said.

One volunteer, Josh Thacker, said he volunteers frequently at the church’s functions.

“It’s almost a full-time job,” he said, laughing, “in addition to my other full-time job.”

Thacker, a lineman at Ameren Missouri, said at 3:30 p.m. Saturday, he had seen a solid wall of people for an hour at the registration table, but the workload wasn’t bad at all.

“There are so many people volunteering, it’s easier,” he said.

“We started attending the church not long ago and have been overwhelmed by all they do for the community. Pretty amazed by that,” Thacker added.

“We’ve kind of outgrown our building here, but that’s a good problem to have,” he said.

Paula Whitley, also a church member and volunteer, said she was enjoying getting to meet different people and helping those in need.

“I like to volunteer when I’m able,” she said.

“The wind’s been a little bit of a challenge,” Whitley said as a gust kicked up and blew a few blank registration forms off of the table, “but that’s why we have clipboards.”

mniederkorn@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3630

Pertinent address:

750 N. Mt. Auburn Rd., Cape Girardeau, Mo.