Servings of Grace (SOG) was created to feed the hungry, whether that hunger is physical, emotional or spiritual. A free hot lunch is offered at Grace on the third Saturday of each month. There is no criteria for those seeking a meal. SOG is completely run by volunteers and most are members of Grace. Our downtown location is very conducive to reaching those staying at the shelters or who are homeless. We serve on a average of 40 to 80 people each third Saturday of the month.

A note of interest is that a free hot meal is regularly offered four days a week by the combined effort of several Christian organizations throughout Muskogee.

The 2009 Servings of Grace was spearheaded by Rena King with Edna Foster as her able-bodied assistant. We served many wonderful lunches ranging from poor boy sandwiches, potato salad and ice tea in the hot summer, to a turkey dinner with all the trimmings for Thanksgiving and, spiral ham with all the trimmings for Christmas. We even had a Mexican menu with Chili Rellenos, Spanish rice, and nachos with cheese! One of the people we were serving asked B.J. if the cook was single–he wanted to marry her because the Chili Rellenos were so good. B.J. quickly told him the cook was married to a very tall Marine. He accepted that but asked for seconds of Chili Rellenos.

Phyllis Moore (Southeast Baptist) has been a godsend to me as we stand side by side cooking, and I want to thank John Charbonneau for his shopping and dishwashing abilities. For the winter months B.J. Charbonneau made "travel baggies" available to as many as possible. Filled with donations from the congregation, these contained sample sizes of shampoo, soap, lotion, toilet paper, ski caps, gloves, hand sanitizer, toothpaste and toothbrushes. I recall one gentleman removing the cap from a shampoo bottle, smelling the shampoo and just sighing. The people were most appreciative. Way to go B.J.!!! We were also able to make up "care baggies" for the hungry who come each week to our door. These baggies contain bottled water, peanut butter or cheese crackers, fruit or nut bars, hand sanitizer, Kleenex, and a fruit cup, along with an encouraging scripture passage.

– Edna Foster, SOG Assistant to Rena King