By Sharon Mager
(Photo above shows members of Chestnut Ridge Baptist Church and East Baltimore Graffiti Church packing food together)
LUTHERVILLE, Md. — Chestnut Ridge Baptist Church (CRBC), the oldest church in the BCM/D, in a suburban area in Lutherville, partners with ten-year-old East Baltimore Graffiti Church (EBGC) on Greenmount Avenue to provide food for those experiencing homelessness. Chestnut Ridge members pack bags of food, and members of Graffiti Church pick them up for distribution. What started as a small project with a big vision has grown exponentially, blessing many. In fact, Don Klapka, the pastor of Chestnut Ridge Baptist Church, named the ministry
Charlie Brown, the pastor of East Baltimore Graffiti Church, and Don Klapka, the pastor of Chestnut Ridge Baptist Church, discuss their partnership at the churches’ combined service. (Photo by Sharon Mager)
“Feeding the 5,000.” Both churches gathered on November 10 at Chestnut Ridge to celebrate the partnership and to pack the 5,000th bag. Afterward, the churches enjoyed an early Thanksgiving meal together.
How it Began
The ministry and partnership began in 2019 at a Towson Collegiate Ministry Bible study that Klapka and Charlie Brown attended. The men met, chatted, and then began sharing their ministry passions. Brown told of the struggles of the many people around Graffiti who were experiencing homelessness. Klapka, relating the story, said he told Brown, “We want to feed the homeless, but we don’t have many around us, and then Charlie said, ‘Well, you can help us out.’’’ Thus, the partnership was born.
At the celebration service, Klapka said, “It began small. We had a list of stuff for people to bring in — maybe about 50 and we put it all on the table at the back. I asked Miss Helen (Dengler), our charter member, who was 97 then, to pack the first meal.
Klapka shared about the ministry and introduced Brown. Klapka told the congregation, “We haven’t met the people getting the bags, but Pastor Charlie has!”
Brown thanked the CRBC members for their faithfulness and support. He told the congregations the bags of food and conversations matter. “I want to encourage you; people have come to know Jesus as Lord and Savior. Others have re-dedicated their lives and been baptized, and we have developed long-term relationships with some.”
Dan and Helena Guthrie perform a mime skit to depict the struggles of those experiencing homelessness and Jesus’ tender mercy. (Photo by Sharon Mager)
At Graffiti Church, Brown and his wife Diane live on site. Charlie shared that people often come to their door for help, sometimes several times a day. “We’ve heard people at 11 at night crying out – literally— because they were really cold, really hungry, scared or desperate.” Each time someone knocks, Charlie and Diane sit with the hurting individual, share the gospel, hand him a meal bag, and pray and encourage him. Sometimes, that also includes finding them a safe place of safety or helping them get to a detox or rehab.
He introduced Troy and Cindy Waller, who oversee the food ministry at Graffiti Church, now dubbed “Open Door Ministry.” They offer food from CRBC, coffee, and other snacks and provide opportunities to shower. They invite people in for “fellowship, connection, and support.” Cindy said they also started a women’s Bible study. She said, “We sit down and get into the Word. It’s such a privilege. All the glory goes to God.”
Troy and Cindy brought a woman to the celebration service whose life has been changed through the ministry. The woman shared, “I give honor to God, my Lord and Savior. I used to be on heroin, but now I’m clean. I want Jesus in my life and am so glad for Open Door Ministry. They’re just like family.”
Troy compared the churches’ cooperative food program to the Feeding of the 5,000. “It’s like a partnership, Troy said. Jesus is having compassion for hungry people. He looks at his disciples and says, “You feed them!” That sounds like Chestnut Ridge putting the food bags together. Now, the disciples hand out the food, and this is like Graffiti church and Open Door.
Church members enjoyed packing bags of food. (Photo by Sharon Mager)
Obviously, it’s not just the food; the real message is glorifying God.” Troy said, referring to people giving their lives to Jesus, “This is our miracle.“ The bags facilitate gospel conversations. That’s what this is all about.”
Because of the partnership between Chestnut Ridge and East Graffiti churches, other churches and organizations have partnered, including Hampstead Baptist Church, which provided hundreds of bags, and Colonial Baptist Church’s WMU, which brings nonperishable meals and helps at the food pantry three times a year.
CRBC has increased its budget to support the ministry. It’s also finding other ways to serve its community, including giving gift bags to cancer patients that include a blanket, tracts, a book about hope, candies, and other comfort items.
God is using the simple food ministry not only to help those in need but also to mobilize churches and ignite their passion for missions.
Feature photo: Members of Chestnut Ridge Baptist Church and East Baltimore Graffiti Church pack food together. (Photo by Sharon Mager)
Sharon Mager serves as a communications specialist and BaptistLIFE editor.