On the third Saturday of each month, neighbors in Vicksburg can likely find parish family from the Church of the Holy Trinity sharing bags of red beans and rice and packages of cornbread mix. For families struggling with food insecurity, these care bags represent extra days of nutrition in a household.

The Rev. Rick Roessler and his wife, the Rev. Deacon Tami Roessler, helped to introduce this food ministry in March 2024, and it has been embraced by enthusiastic Holy Trinity parishioners who have made it part of the church’s mission. Initial plans were to distribute 100 of the care bags. Beginning on June 15, the number of households served increased to 150—and that day, the bags of red beans and rice were all distributed within 45 minutes.

The impetus for studying Vicksburg’s need for this ministry came from a similar ministry offered by St. James Church, in Port Gibson. St. James had been inspired by similar ministry at Grace Church, Canton. St. James’ communicant Debbie Salassi shared that the ministry has been very meaningful in Port Gibson; neighbors who receive food often feel the need to share some monetary gift in thanksgiving. “Someone handed me 62 cents one day. [Put into perspective,] that gift was surely one of the most generous we received,” Salassi commented.

Holy Trinity Vestry member Ruth Ann Bottin became a point of contact with St. James Church, as Holy Trinity began discerning how it could better serve Vicksburg’s most vulnerable communities.

Within just three months, Holy Trinity’s ministry has grown not only by the number of households served, but also by the number of those who feel called to serve. Parishioners Bottin, Vicki Abraham, Missy Broome, Alice Hebler, Jan Cooper, Beverly Rice, Ashley Schmitt, Nancy Gates, Caroline Fuhrman, and a newly baptized communicant, Jimmy Olivoe and his family all share this ministry, with the Roesslers taking turns serving alongside.

Hebler put the church in touch with a local supermarket, a partnership which not only supports the local economy in providing the food items but also helps to keep prices for the food items stable.

Especially during this bountiful season in which much local produce is grown and harvested, we are reminded of increasing food insecurity among our neighbors. As we prayerfully discern the ways in which God calls us all to serve, we hear again the words of Jesus in Matthew 25: “’Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink…[or] saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing…[or] saw you sick or in prison and visited you?’” And the king will answer them, “’Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.’”