The West Brooksville Congregational Church (WBCC) at 1597 Coastal Road will be inaugurating a monthly food pantry beginning April 11 from 9 to 12. Coffee and sweets will be offered and visitors are welcome to linger and hang out for conversation with friends old and new and neighbors. This ministry is an outgrowth from an initiative begun last year where the church began collecting and delivering food packages to the Brooksville Elementary School. That initiative continues.
Members of the community are welcome to share in the pantry, either by increasing their food security by taking needed items for their use or by “Sharing for Caring” and donating appropriate items to distribute or their time by joining the pantry team.
The food pantry is being dubbed a “Pound for the Pastor” harkening back to the days when the minister was paid in butter and eggs rather than legal tender, and it is one of a variety of programs and projects the church is planning in celebration of the 200th anniversary of its founding. Despite a fire, the church retains its original design and sanctuary. A rarity in these days, the original bell still is in its tower and rung at the beginning of each worship service as well as special events.
As part of the anniversary year, there will be tours of the building which is on the National Historic Register, and of the church’s cemetery, where there are many early settlers buried several revolutionary war veterans are interred. Also among the congregation’s celebratory plans are community dinners, a concert, presentations on the congregation’s history, and children’s events.
In commemoration of this event, West Brooksville has designed and commissioned items recognizing its history, the most popular thus far being embroidered tea towels with the image and dates of the church created by the leader of the Saturday Sewing Circle – a throwback to the Sewing Circle of the 1800’s – and one of many items created for donation to ministries supported by the congregation.
For further information, contact Judson Brown, WBCC’s media contact, at 202-957-7221 or at judbrown47@icloud.com
.