The Govans Presbyterian session (church leadership) shared this message with church members Wednesday, December 17, 2025, to update them about the future of the church Food Ministry.
Dear Govans Members,
As you probably know, Govans Food Ministry has been the focus of significant discussion in recent weeks, particularly following the session’s November decision to cease operation of the Soul Kitchen in its current form. After prayerful reflection and careful review of feedback from the congregation and community, the session revisited these decisions at its December meeting last night and offers the following update.
Background
For years, the Soul Kitchen has faced many operational challenges, impacting not just the program but also other ministries, partners who use our building, and our staff. Last summer, we came close to closing the Soul Kitchen. We couldn’t do it. The Soul Kitchen’s long history and the real, urgent hunger in our community meant too much. We had no real alternative at the time, so the doors stayed open.
After that, three things happened: the problems at Soul Kitchen didn’t improve, we discovered the Baltimore Community Refrigerator Network—an effective new way to fight hunger—and our search for a new permanent pastor compelled us to confront these issues sooner rather than later. We felt a responsibility to action rather than wait for a new pastor. These factors shaped our November decision.
Following congregational conversation, emails, and media attention, we spent many hours in further discernment and, at its December 16 meeting, reached the following decisions. While we reaffirmed our decision to bring Soul Kitchen in its current form to an end, we are excited to announce that weekly food distributions will continue into the new year until meals through the new Community Refrigerator are up and running, by mid-late January.
Session Decisions
- The Soul Kitchen and its committee, in their current forms, will cease operation on December 31.
- A session-led group of volunteers will make freshly-made, hot meals available to hand out on Sundays until additional plans are in place.
- Govans will join the Baltimore Community Refrigerator Network, which provides 24/7 access to donated food through a refrigerator and a pantry outside our church. A connected network of 8,500+ volunteers currently collects donated food and supplies, and delivers prepared meals/food to over 22 refrigerators throughout Baltimore.
- Increase our 2026 contribution to GEDCO.
- Establish a new session-led Food Ministry Committee to expand and re-imagine our efforts to include:
- A regular potluck and/or meal prepared by teams of volunteers for church members and the community.
- Work with the Action in Advocacy Committee of the Racial Justice Ministry Committee to pursue food justice policy changes at the local, state, and national levels to reduce/eradicate food insecurity.
- Explore the role and expansion of the Govans Farm and other Govans’ Ministries in our new, expanded Food Ministry work.
- Explore ways to bring residents of food deserts to full-service grocery stores and other sources of nutritious food.
Looking Ahead
This re-imagined and expanding food ministry is unfolding and evolving, and we will continue to listen to our members and the community as we prayerfully discern our way forward.
We hope to soon offer multiple ways for people who are hungry to find food, community, and God’s gracious love to everyone who engages in our food ministry. We look forward to what God has in store for our church and our community and getting to know more people as they find their way to us, whether it’s to grab a meal from the fridge, donate leftovers, or to build community with us in new or old ways—perhaps even sharing a meal again.
Govans will take on the root causes of hunger. We are eager to join allies to help dismantle the systems that undermine people’s ability to feed themselves and their families by advocating for change at the local, state, and federal levels.
Until the community fridge is up and running, a session-led team of volunteers will continue to provide prepared meals on Sunday afternoons at 3:30. The refrigerator site is expected to be operational by mid- to late January, with equipment provided free of charge by the Baltimore Community Fridge Network.
Govans remains committed to addressing hunger with love, creativity, and justice, and we invite the congregation to join in this renewed and expanded ministry.
Session Members
December 17, 2025