Winter & Spring 2025: Finding Our Way Back to the Table 🤍

Winter began with rest.

After the first weeks of January—storms rolling in and cold keeping us indoors—we returned to the park mid-month and were greeted by familiar faces that felt like family.

First United Methodist Church and Brenham Pregnancy Center showed up for their faithful second-Monday rhythm. Hearts Haven Ranch joined us for the first time, bringing barnyard friends that quickly became a Monday-night tradition. And even when freezing temperatures forced us to cancel one week, the community came roaring back—bundled up alongside the 4-H Salem Club and Hazel the blind goat.

February softened us with sunshine and story time.

Ellie the cow.
Little Miss Maizie.
Crafts with First United Methodist Youth.
Spaghetti, nachos, and chicken spaghetti filling plates again.

Center Church, National Charity League, New Beginnings Church, and longtime partners stepped in to serve, while something new began to take root: guests started hearing the heart of Jesus shared on Monday nights.

Slowly. Gently. Faithfully.

Spring arrived—and with it, full tables.

Brenham Blessings and the Junior Heritage Belles delivered 100 snack boxes for families over spring break. Twin City Missions brought crafts and mental-health resources. Hands of Hope and Greenvine Lutheran Church joined our growing circle of partners—Greenvine even sponsored taco night.

And Hearts Haven Ranch kept showing up with new animals that somehow preached grace without saying a word.

April brought a milestone:

Our First Easter in the Park.

With Vineyard Church leading worship and sharing the Word, we served 160 meals. High Hope Care Center and National Charity League stuffed over 1,000 Easter eggs. A lamb and donkey wandered through dinner thanks to Hearts Haven Ranch—simple, holy reminders of new life.

During Maifest, we set up at Henderson Park with pulled-pork sandwiches catered by Royer’s Café and volunteers from Brenham Pickleball.

Week after week, Gather n Grace volunteers kept showing up.

This season also brought deeper rhythms:

• Tuesday to-go meals for 50 homebound neighbors
• Prayer becoming more visible and available
• Sundays in the Park happening more often
• New partners linking arms with us

Because of your generosity, by this point in the year we had already served nearly 3,000 meals.

God kept meeting us at folding tables.

Summer 2025: Heat, Hope, and Holy Moments ☀️🤍

Summer came in cooler than expected—thanks to rain—until August reminded us who was boss.

We kicked things off with Kona Ice, a movie night in the park (and yes… a screen that caught fire 😅), the Chick-fil-A cow, and Mazie from Hearts Haven Ranch.

But the real story of the summer?

People kept showing up.

Young Men’s Service League jumped in with both feet—serving food, playing with kids, running crafts, and giving parents a chance to breathe. The littles looked up to the BIGS. The parents smiled. And we watched community knit itself together.

South Central Board of Realtors stepped in one June Monday so Tara could celebrate her 50th birthday—serving BBQ sandwiches and passing out over 300 meals. A gift to the whole Gather n Grace family.

All summer long, Tuesday meal deliveries continued—35–50 meals every week to neighbors who are homeless or homebound. Brenham Pregnancy Center stayed steady on second Mondays with diapers and resources. The Brenham Cheer Team joined us with energy and joy that lit up the park.

And something sacred settled in:

A full-time prayer team.

Corben and Tiffany Thomas committed to mentoring and praying weekly—turning Monday nights into holy ground.

We closed the season with a Back-to-School Bash that felt like heaven brushing earth:

• 200+ plates served
• Diapers from Brenham Pregnancy Center
• Kona Ice
• Bounce houses from YMSL
• Stuffed backpacks from Brenham Cheer, Stacy & Scott Koteras
• Brenham Children’s Museum activities
• Haircuts from Emily Tockza, Braelynn (Mimosa), and Uptown Roots

And then… the stories.

One guest quietly told us,
“Y’all make me want to be a better person.”
A man who had been hurt before—now smiling again.

Another woman ran out after a haircut and said,
“I cut it off. It reminded me of my abuse. It was time to let it go.”

A child stared at his backpack and whispered,
“How did you know I wanted green?”

We smiled and said,
“God told us. That’s how much He loves you.”

And his face lit up with wonder.

Because God doesn’t need much.

He just needs willing hearts.

Monday Family Dinners: Late 2025 Recap 🤍

As 2025 drew to a close, Monday nights kept telling the same sacred story:

God meets people at the table.

From back-to-school heat waves to Thanksgiving feasts…
from quiet nights to packed-out evenings…
from nacho bars and sloppy joes to nearly 700 plates served on Thanksgiving—

we watched community happen one meal at a time.

August & September: Showing Up in the Heat

We returned from a short August pause to a blazing hot night and 101 neighbors, complete with a surprise visit from Digger the wallaby thanks to Hearts Haven Ranch—plus serving teams from Cowboy Church of Brenham and YMSL.

The weeks that followed brought:
• 140 guests and nachos (everyone’s favorite)
• Prayer with Genevia
• Donkeys and didgeridoos
• Cheer squads, Cub Pride, and youth groups jumping in
• Two locations serving over 250 combined on Labor Day
• Carousel rides, activities led by LEAD, and story time
• Packed nights topping 225 people

September reminded us that even ordinary Mondays—spaghetti dinners, nacho bars, messy kids, quiet prayers—become holy when people gather.

October: Dancing, Pizza, and Packed Tables

October overflowed with energy:

• 175 guests with pizza and serving teams from FUMC and Brenham Pregnancy Center
• Center Stage dancing through dinner service with chicken tenders and fries
• Cheer teams stepping in week after week
• Burton joining in alongside Brenham
• Spaghetti nights and pulled pork sandwiches filling bellies and hearts

November: Gratitude on Display

November held some of our sweetest moments:

• Potluck nights with bounce houses
• 170 guests served by St. Peter’s
• Nachos with YMSL on what many called a precious night
• Our first Bellville dinner—50 neighbors served, meats donated by Bellville Meat Market, and Grace Church lending hands
• And then… Thanksgiving.

Nearly 700 meals served—plates passed, prayers prayed, families fed, gratitude everywhere.

December: Christmas at the Table

December brought the sparkle.

Santa visits.
Photographs.
Christmas carols filling the air.
Gifts for a hardworking family.
Participation in Center Church’s Christmas Gift Shop.

Joy looked like children laughing in line for dessert.
Hope sounded like songs sung together.
Love felt like a warm coat, a hot plate, and someone calling you by name.

Because of You…

None of this happened alone.

To every volunteer—
every church partner—
every cheerleader, youth group, cook, prayer warrior, dishwasher, driver, and donor—

thank you.

You turned parking lots into dining rooms.
Fold-up tables into sacred spaces.
And Mondays into something families now count on.

As we head into 2026, our hearts are full and our eyes are lifted.

Ready to keep gathering.
Ready to keep serving.
Ready to keep feeding bodies and souls.

From our table to yours—
thank you for being part of this story.

With love,
Gather n Grace 🤍