Church in Johnson County makes Christmas meal deliveries

FRANKLIN, Ind. (WISH) – Santa Claus wasn’t the only one making deliveries Tuesday. 

Grace United Methodist Church, 1300 E. Adams Drive, delivered warm meals to people in Johnson County. 

Every year, volunteers prepare food at the church. But, it’s not much of a Christmas gift without a surprise, so some church members hit the streets. 

Peggy and Andy Kinsey’s trunk couldn’t hold as many bags as Santa’s sleigh, but for their mission, it got the job done. The couple drove to local stores, feeding workers and customers. 

“You want a hot meal?” Andy asked a customer at a gas station. 

“We’ve got hot meals for you guys,” Peggy said to an employee. 

“Merry Christmas to you guys, too,” the employee responded. 

Andy is the senior pastor at Grace, where volunteers prepared meals for hundreds of people. Church members also offered a two-hour pickup window and hosted a dine-in from 4-6 p.m. 

“We’ve seen a need grow, unfortunately, but we’ve also realized again that there is a need,” Andy said. “We started with 70 people and now it’s well over 1,000.”

The Kinseys know the holidays can drain a bank account. Their main goal to give food to people struggling financially.

But, Peggy called the surprise deliveries their “random acts of kindness.”

“I can’t thank you enough,” another gas station employee said while receiving a meal. “This is crazy.”

Employees at one Franklin store said they didn’t need the meal, but they took it anyway with plans to pay it forward to a customer. 

“Perfect,” Peggy said. 

The couple looks forward to feeding community members again next year.

“Delivery seems to be our favorite. We like going out and making that human connection with the people,” Peggy said.