By Lindsay Peyton

In the midst of a disaster, FUMC La Marque discovered a new opportunity to serve. The result is the Good Samaritan Ministry Food Pantry, which after two years of planning and construction, is set to open this month.

A celebration is scheduled from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Wednesday, July 19 at FUMC La Marque, 1825 Howell Ave. The event will feature an open house for the food pantry as well as a community resource fair, with health screenings and local organizations on-site to offer resources. 

The Good Samaritan Ministry Food Pantry, a collaborative effort between FUMC La Marque, Resonate Texas Church and St. John’s UMC Texas City, will open twice a month, on the first and third Wednesdays.

During the open house, area residents can learn ways to become involved, whether by volunteering or donating to the cause. Neighborhood churches and community organizations are also invited to join the effort.

“Let’s make it the best pantry ever,” La Marque UMC Pastor Ingrid Clark said.

She explained that the spark for the new Good Samaritan Ministry Food Pantry was ignited by the 2021 freeze. A pipe burst, and the entire church flooded. “Almost every surface had to be redone,” she said.

While gutting the building, she realized how many of the church rooms were sitting unused. “This building should not be sitting empty,” Clark said. “This is a crime. We need to do better.”

She gave her members a challenge, “We’re not rebuilding this space until we have a purpose. Let’s really look at how we can be a blessing in our community. Let’s dream big.”

The congregation prayed and began to brainstorm. The issue that kept coming to the forefront was food insecurity.

Clark explained that the area surrounding the church is a food desert. While there are distribution sites in neighboring Texas City and Santa Fe, La Marque residents in need typically do not have transportation to make the trek.

To address the issue, FUMC La Marque has been hosting a mobile distribution truck from Galveston County Food Bank twice a month. The church also built a blessing box on campus, where people could pick up nonperishables.

Still, the need was great, Clark said. The blessing box was constantly emptied, and more and more were in need of the food truck.

After COVID, rising costs only made matters worse, Clark explained. “People who never would have gone to a food pantry before were now, out of necessity, showing up,” she said.

With the church now a blank slate, the congregation began to envision a transformation. Empty rooms could house a food pantry.

Then, Clark learned about the Innovation Grant offered by the Texas Annual Conference. She applied in the fall of 2022, and by December, FUMC La Marque received $8,500 to construct the pantry and stock the shelves for the first couple of months.

A contractor began the remodel in January 2023, and construction wrapped at the end of May. In the meantime, Clark recruited other churches to join.

Making the pantry a collaborative project was a top priority, she explained. “We truly wanted this to be a community effort,” she said. “I didn’t want this to be just about First. We’re all called to share the gospel, to love our neighbor and to minister to the least and lost.”

Clark added that when residents see churches working together for a worthy cause, it serves as a testament. “God gets all the Glory,” she said. “It’s about coming together as a body. It really shows what we can do when we unify.”

In addition, the pantry will benefit from multiple churches donating and volunteering to serve. Future plans call for monthly enrichment activities and life skills classes for adults, as well as a youth mentorship program.

“The pantry is just a stepping stone,” Clark said. “It’s about building relationships and letting people know, ‘You’re not alone. We’re here. How can we help? How can we hold each other’s hands and hold each other up?’ This is a great opportunity to open the door.”

Members of FUMC La Marque are eagerly anticipating the pantry’s formal opening. “My gracious church, it’s small but mighty,” Clark said. “We are moving mountains for the Kingdom. I’m just grateful they have such a heart for service.”