Hartselle church of Christ continues community Christmas tradition

By Joy Haynes 

For the Enquirer 

Members of the Hartselle church of Christ continued their decade-long tradition of feeding Christmas meals to the community Dec. 25.  

Families and members of the congregation cooked and boxed meals to feed more than 800 people. Meals were delivered or picked up Christmas morning.  

The church began the effort as a way to continue the delivery of Meals on Wheels on Christmas Day. The project has grown every year, with the number of people willing to help out multiplying as well. 

Names and addresses of recipients were gathered from Meals on Wheels, the Committee on Church Cooperation, the Morgan County and Hartselle Housing Authorities and the Morgan County Commission on Aging.  

The COVID-19 pandemic forced the group to adapt this year but didn’t change their community impact. Families from the congregation, as well as from around the area, wore masks and gloves as they helped box meals, prepare routes, deliver food and clean up the preparation room.  

“Just about every family from our church is involved in this effort in some way,” explained JoAnn Sneed, one of the project organizers. “Every year we have so many people willing to help out with their time or financially. This year was the same, despite the pandemic. We had plenty to feed the deliveries we had planned plus leftovers.” 

Pans of food and desserts leftover after the deliveries were distributed to resources for those in need. 

Phillip Hines and Todd Barrier are the preaching ministers at Hartselle church of Christ.