The congregation of Pleasant Green Baptist Church, located at 1410 Jefferson Street, assembled on the lawn of the church to participate in a service of dedication for a Blessing Box on June 30. The Blessing Box is large container with shelves, which will serve as an outdoor pantry of non-perishable food items, water, and hygiene items for Nashville’s less fortunate population. The Blessing Box will be open 24 hours each day for 365 days a year. Essentially, it will never close.
The Blessing Box Outreach Ministry was first discussed and adopted as a ministry of Pleasant Green in January at a meeting of the Ladies Aid Society, the Women’s Ministry of the church.
It was later adopted as an outreach ministry of the entire church in April during a Quarterly Business Meeting of the church. The entire congregation of Pleasant Green is excited about the opportunity to minister to the less fortunate and homeless members of the community.
The Blessing Box outreach ministry is a part of a larger ministry in the Nashville area called The Blessing Box of Middle Tennessee. It was founded because food insufficiency touches every community.
The program provides a way for the community to help those in need right where they live. Inside each box is the printed statement:
“Take What You Need, Donate What You Can.” This, of course, allows the less fortunate population to take what they need, but it also allows the community to donate what it can. Whether it is a need for food or a need to give, the Blessing Box facilitates the concept of neighbors helping neighbors, essentially building community.
In addition to Pleasant Green Baptist Church, there are seven other locations of Blessing Boxes in the Nashville area. Those locations include:
1) Church of the Nazarene, Bell Rd.
2) St. John’s Luth-eran Church, McGavock Pike
3) Donelson Church of the Nazarene, Done-lson Pike
4) Wingate Church of Christ, Thompson Lane
5) Jay’s Family Restaurant, Dickerson Rd.
6) Lebanon Road Church of Christ, Lebanon Rd.
7) First Baptist Church of Hermitage
