This has to be one of the oldest and most reliable community outreach efforts on record. From my earliest days in the church I have heard of the value of literally taking a loaf of bread to a neighbor. It was more than a cliché because many churches had members who baked fresh bread and gave the loaves away. Now the idea is back, with a few variations.
Baking bread at home has largely gone the way of the dinosaurs. And that makes a great reason to bring it back as an outreach! It immediately gets attention. Recruit members who have experience in baking bread. It might take a little searching, but you’ll find someone at church or in the community who bakes tasty, fresh bread. Depending on the number of bakers, the outreach can be large or small, one neighborhood or several. Bake the bread into small loaves; they’re easier to handle and transport. The idea is not to make a meal but to make a friend. Some churches place the loaves in attractive little baskets with a card identifying the church and the ministry.
A variation of this idea is to bake cookies. Be sure to bake the cookies and not buy them. It makes a much better statement to the community. Cookie give-aways can also be easily combined with other outreach efforts.
