First Presbyterian Church of Gainesville, GA

800 South Enota Drive    Gainesville, GA  30501
 

Good News at Noon
770-532-0136
Providing a daily meal to the homeless and needy   Fifty or so hungry people, forty seven Thursdays of the year—that’s at least 2,350 lunches served every year at Good News at Noon by the First Presbyterian congregation.  The process of preparing these lunches is highly organized.  There are eight teams of about eight people, with four rotating menus.  Individual church members prepare main dishes and desserts at home and deliver them to the church by 10 A.M. on Thursdays.  Marvin Richter, who has headed this ministry for 17 years, picks up the food, takes it to Good News, reheats the casseroles, adds vegetables and fruit, and serves it.  Paul Mahar usually accompanies him in serving the meal, although others help also.   FPC is responsible for every Thursday except those in August and Thanksgiving Day.
   New team members, and especially two people who might be interested in learning to coordinate this program, are currently being sought.  Call Mr. Richter if you would like to volunteer.  While most individuals donate both the food and their time, there are procedures in place so that reimbursements for food or supplies are available.
   The Good News at Noon ministry provides services to families and homeless men in the Gainesville area.  There is a shelter that can house 16 homeless men per night.  Every day there is a church service followed by lunch afterwards which is open to the hungry individuals in the community as well as shelter residents.  On weekdays there is also a service at 7:00 P.M. followed by dinner.  Shelter residents are required to find work during their time at the shelter.  The staff provides much support to help residents get back on their feet.  Good News also accepts donations of mens’ clothing and other items needed to help residents restart their lives.

The History of Good New At Noon

Hunger is no stranger to the man who has become so well-known and beloved as “Mr. B.” Gene Beckstein experienced hunger first hand as a homeless ex-Marine in Chicago

following World War II. It was on the streets of the “Windy City” that God gave Gene a heart for the hungry and homeless. Later, an encounter with Billy Graham would give him a vision for ministry to those whom are often called the “down and out”. The ministry that has come to be known as Good News at Noon had very humble beginnings. Gene had felt God leading him to feed the homeless and he responded by serving lunch to homeless men one day a week out of the community building at the government housing project known as Melrose on Davis Street in Gainesville. In January of 1990, assisted by his wife Margie, the couple fed 12 men the first day. The ministry began to grow rapidly. Meanwhile God gave Gene a greater vision which he began to share with people in the community. He dreamed of a having a strategically located center that could minister to the needs of those who had no place to call home. Providentially such a building was discovered just across the street from Melrose, but there was no money to purchase it.

John Mansfield, a member of our congregation and highly-respected business man, learned about Gene’s vision. He approached one of our Elders, Kevin Price, and told him that if our Session would pledge $ 30,000 toward the building, he would negotiate and secure the purchase until all the funds could be raised. First Presbyterian Church raised nearly 70% of the funds needed, and supported by First Methodist Church and Grace Episcopal Church, Good News at Noon acquired its own home. FPC member Mike Luke, who had experience in construction, teamed up with three Presbyterian ministers, Matt McGowan, Bill Hines and the late Bill Stonebraker, and worked through Habitat For Humanity to make the building serviceable.

Gene’s vision included serving meals Monday through Friday. Local churches volunteered to serve one day a week from September through July and FPC responded by taking Thursday. Since the beginning Marvin Richter has served as the chief cook and supervisor for our congregation. He was ably assisted for several years by the late B.V. White. Presently Paul Maher and Bob Bowen work with Marvin and are aided by Lewis Shirley, Jr. and Tom Carraway. Most of the food is prepared off-site by eight teams of women from FPC which work in rotation. Lindsay Robertson served as the original coordinator of the teams, a role that Marvin Richter serves now.

GNAN has continued to grow and presently serves about 70 people each day. At times that number has swelled to as high as 150. During FPC’s 17-year history with GNAN, our congregation has served about 50,000 meals. Good News at Noon not only feeds the body, but the whole person as well. Bible study, ESL, and after school care for children are a few of the ways that GNAN seeks to bring wholeness into people’s loves. Its small health clinic was spun off several years ago and now is a separate ministry and has become the largest free clinic in the state of Georgia.

GNAN is making a difference in many lives and continues to find new ways to meet the needs of the people it serves. While Gene continues to serve as GNAN’s leader, he has been faithfully and ably assisted by Thomas Ramirez who has worked with him for nearly 14 years. Today over 50 churches lend their support to the ministry that started with two people following God’s call to serve. If you would like to be a part of this exciting mission, there is a place for you. Please contact Marvin Richter at 770.532.8849. God has greatly blessed this ministry and both Gene Beckstein and Good News at Noon have received considerable national attention. But “Mr. B” would be the first to tell you, “It’s all about Jesus Christ.”

Copyright [2007] [First Presbyterian Church of Gainesville]. All rights reserved. 
770-532-0136    800 South Enota Gainesville, GA