How One Church is Feeding Neighbors in Body and Spirit

KILLEEN, TEX. – The New Hope Seventh-day Adventist Church is living out the gospel through acts of compassion that feed both body and soul. At the heart of its mission is the biblical call to “serve the least of these.”

Every other Tuesday afternoon, the church parking lot transforms into a shopping-style food pantry. Neighbors select fresh fruit, vegetables and pantry staples to create balanced meals. 

Since its launch in January 2025, the pantry has distributed more than 52,000 pounds of food, donated through the Central Texas Food Bank and serving nearly 600 families and over 2,000 individuals.

On Sunday mornings, volunteers prepare and deliver between 60 and 150 hot meal boxes to the homeless community. The team spends hours driving under bridges, through neighborhoods and into hidden areas where the unhoused gather, offering food, water and encouragement. 

“Our mission is simple,” says Thelma Nicholls, director of community services. “We feed people because Jesus did. It’s our way of living out the gospel in practical, tangible ways.” 

Volunteers of all ages—youth, retirees and even Lenworth Sealey, pastor of the New Hope church—helped unload trucks, distribute food and serve meals. Young people also receive school credit for their service hours.

For New Hope, the work goes beyond filling stomachs. “We don’t just hand out food,” notes Sealey. “We aim to uplift people physically, emotionally and spiritually. Every bag of groceries, prayer and smile is a message of hope.”

If you’re seeking hope, purpose or community, the New Hope church welcomes you to visit, volunteer and be part of the good that is happening right here.

By Thelma Nicholls