When disaster strikes, ministry opportunities abound. This has been our experience in 2020 through tornados, pandemics, and bombings.

Israel Garcia, our Facilities Manager, received a phone call the day after Christmas from Colonel Sanford Mangold, the Executive Director of the FBI National Citizens Academy Alumni Association. Colonel Mangold had a team of volunteers ready to fly to Nashville to provide support to the FBI agents and other first responders who were investigating the Christmas Morning Bombing on Second Avenue. All they needed was a place to base their operations. Specifically, they needed a kitchen so they could prepare approximately 1,000 meals a day for several days.

The Soup Ladies’ mission is to provide freshly cooked meals expeditiously to support first responders such as police and fire departments, search and rescue teams and military personnel in times of emergencies and disasters

On Tuesday I met Mama P. who leads the Soup Ladies. About a half-dozen ladies were busy preparing meals in our kitchen to be delivered to the field agents and police. They said our kitchen was a “palace” compared to other places they have been called to serve.

Church, this is another example of your faithfulness as stewards that allowed us to open our doors and say “welcome” to those who have come to serve. Our partnership with them has allowed Nashville First to have a strong role in the efforts to do something to help our city and our neighbors in this critical time.

In addition to that, your faithful stewardship has allowed us to provide a financial contribution to the recovery efforts. Church, thank you for your generosity. We are doing our part to care for those who protect and serve our community, and those who have experienced unimaginable losses during this time.

-Pastor Frank