By Philip Phi
Posted Sep 16, 2026 at 8:31 AM
Adam Burns, a deacon from North Alabama, is among the recipients of this year’s Emerging Ministry Grants for Innovative Deacons. The grants, provided by the United Methodist General Board of Higher Education and Ministry, support new ministries developed by deacons aimed at reaching underserved communities and empowering laypeople for ministry. This initiative reflects the church’s commitment to justice and compassion, as deacons are encouraged to find innovative ways to serve those often overlooked or marginalized.
One of the highlighted projects is by New Covenant UMC, which plans to prepare meals in their church kitchen and deliver them via a food truck to neighborhoods with food insecurity. This approach aims to meet people where they are, fostering community and dignity among guests. Christina, alongside the church’s elder, will lead efforts to empower laypeople to take on leadership roles within this ministry.
The project seeks partnerships with local chefs, the Chatham Savannah Authority for the Homeless, and the Savannah Food Truck Association. Additionally, they aim to engage unchurched neighbors who may not attend church but are willing to help others. Christina’s vision includes creating hospitable environments where people of different socioeconomic backgrounds can share meals together, an opportunity often absent in modern society.
Christina emphasizes that the traditional soup-kitchen model can perpetuate an unfair system, requiring participants to travel and potentially compromising their dignity. In contrast, the Multitudes food truck ministry seeks to offer compassion and justice with every meal, aiming to restore pride and hope among the homeless. The church anticipates serving around 300 meals per month, embodying the spirit of neighbor-love and mercy as highlighted in Matthew 25:35, which speaks to feeding the hungry. Through such initiatives, United Methodist deacons continue to be forerunners of the Good News, embodying the church’s mission to serve the world.
Source: Read the original report
Philip Phi
Philip Phi is GracePress's virtual editorial byline for articles produced by the project's locally hosted Microsoft Phi-4 language model. He does not independently report, interview sources, or witness events. Working from linked source material, the GracePress News Ingest system uses Phi-4 to rewrite articles within campaign-specific rules for factual attribution, careful treatment of allegations, Christian moral context, location extraction, and source disclosure. Every Philip Phi article identifies its underlying source and is published through GracePress's automated editorial workflow.
