A city hearing is being held in Cape Girardeau, Mo., on the future of a church food distribution program because five neighbors were upset by an unrelated building project, according to the city’s mayor.
Christ Church of the Heartland, a nondenominational, full Gospel church of several hundred members, has been used as a location for food distribution under the Angel Food program for about four years with no problems, pastor Zach Strong told WND.
 Volunteers working on the Angel Food distribution |
However, the city attorney called and told the church recently of its need for a special use permit because neighbors had complained that the discounted food program was a “grocery store,” which would be a commercial operation not allowed in the residential neighborhood where the church is located.
Mayor Jay Knudtson told WND that the dispute arose because some neighbors were upset at the church’s building project, approved by the city, which is adding a 1,500-seat auditorium to the existing building.
“There is clearly some ill will,” he told WND, relating to the impact of the church construction project. “I think that’s part and parcel of these complaints being leveled.”
“I personally believe this ministry is a good ministry. These needs do exist – to supplement the needy in our community,” he said. “This isn’t the city attempting to legislate religion or shut this church down.”
“I believe this ministry is a great ministry. The city is simply conducting a process which is the best way to evaluate and to come to a determination on the program,” he said.
He said complaints were brought to the city more or less simultaneously and concerned the number of cars going to the church for the food program, which is a once-a-month distribution.
The city was given allegations that the operation was a retail grocery store, but Angel Food is a registered nonprofit that provides food in bulk packages at reduced prices.
“The church is located in an area that is zoned residential and there were several neighbors that came to the city and filed complaints about a commercial business being conducted on the church property,” the mayor told WND. “As a result of their complaining the city attorney made a decision that the best way to handle the situation was to have it go through the process of either obtaining a special use permit or denying the special use permit.”
Pastor Strong told WND that that hearing now is set for Nov. 5, and Knudtson told WND that the fact the Angel Food program is a legitimate ministry probably would be a “compelling” part of the evidence in the case.
He said the city wanted to avoid a lawsuit either by those who complained, or by the church, so it was setting up the hearing to review both sides’ positions.
“Our legal team believes we are standing on the best ground we can be on,” he said.
Strong said the food distribution program, meanwhile, will continue pending another decision by the city. Angel Food said it is “dedicated to provide grocery relief to communities through the United States… Angel Food Ministries crosses denominational lines and has spread the good news of Jesus Christ through salvation tracts that are placed in each food order.”
It began 11 years ago in Georgia and now distributes from 1,200 locations across dozens of states.
It charges about $25 for a medium-sized box of food that has an approximate retail value of $50. Generally, one box of food feeds a family of four for a week, or a senior citizen for a month.
The November package, for example, contains four pounds of chicken, a pound and a half of ribs, a pound of ground beef, two pounds of chicken tenders, pork chops, ground turkey, stuffed manicotti, smoked sausage, potatoes, green beans, carrots, onions, beans, rice, blueberry muffin mix and waffles.
Strong told WND that on distribution day a truck pulls into the church parking lot, is unloaded and volunteers package the goods into boxes. Then about 180 families or so, who have prepaid for the food, pick it up.
He said the church has been participating for about four years, and never heard a single complaint until now. He acknowledges his building project “stirred some neighbors up.”
But he said the food distribution is not a business, and the church is appearing before the city boards under protest.
When the dispute erupted, the church held an open meeting and invited about 100 neighbors to raise questions. Only one person arrived, Strong said.
“What we are doing is not a distraction to anybody,” Strong said.
He said there have been offers of the use of another warehouse, but that’s not the point.
“I’m not going to bow down to this idea that this is a business. It’s about what we’re allowed to do on our own property,” he said.
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