Local church blesses others with installation of blessing box

A Sallisaw church is blessing others by providing a blessing box for members of the community who may need it.

Pastor Dianah Gourley said some male members of the First Presbyterian church, which include Jeff Jones, Russel Knoke, Charlie Wilson and Tyler Knoke, and another man named Mike, pitched in to construct the blessing box over the past three Saturdays.

She said the blessing box was completed and put out this past Sunday at the church.

“It’s a very big box and we haven’t loaded it with much but what we did put in was taken,” she said. “On Sunday, someone put diapers and baby food in it and it was gone the next morning.”

The pastor said she put canned fruit, vegetables and meat, along with macaroni and cheese, soup, nuts, peanut butter crackers and other items in the box on Monday and over three-fourths is already gone.

‘This is something the church plans to do year round,” she said. “When we first conceived the idea, we knew we would move small because we‘re a small church. We were hoping to get scarves and hats, baby and personal hygiene items, and we will eventually, because this is deeply needed in the community. We want to help our fellow man and sometimes filling their stomach is a good thing.”

Gourley said there are several other blessing boxes in town but this is something near and dear to her heart.

“If anyone would like to donate to it, they are more than welcome to,” she said. “Our sign says to take what you need and leave what you can. It gives people a way to help in a huge way but doesn’t take a lot. If you’re at the store, you can pick up an extra couple of cans of food and stick in there.”

Gourley said to remember that some people, especially the homeless, may not have access to things like can openers.

“We’re learning about what we can and cannot put in,” she said. “Cans really need to be self-opening so they don’t need a can opener, things like that.”

Anyone wishing to donate to the blessing box can drop the items off at the church, located at 120 S. Oak in Sallisaw.