What began as a leap of faith turned into a powerful display of community need — and community compassion — at New Start Community Church of the Nazarene last Saturday, Jan. 24, when a food giveaway and resource event drew an estimated 450 vehicles and more than 1,000 people to the church’s rural Manning campus.
By early afternoon, a tractor-trailer loaded with food was empty, prayer teams were still ministering to families, and traffic stretched from the church grounds onto J.W. Rhames Road and backed up onto U.S. 261 — a sight Pastor Tony Lupton said few could have imagined when planning began months earlier.
“We were honestly worried people wouldn’t show up,” Lupton said. “We’re kind of tucked away out here, and there’s not a lot of drive-by traffic. But once it started, it never stopped.”
The giveaway, held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., was anchored by a Convoy of Hope food distribution — a national faith-based nonprofit that provides large-scale food and relief resources to communities across the country. Lupton said the church received approximately 20 to 25 pallets of name-brand, in-date snack and beverage items delivered straight from manufacturers.
“We don’t get to choose what comes on the truck, and we never know exactly what we’re getting,” he said. “But it’s always quality food, and it’s always given freely.”
By 1:30 p.m., every item had been distributed.
But the food giveaway was only part of the day’s mission.
In partnership with The Blood Connection, the church also hosted a blood drive, ensuring that donated blood would remain in Clarendon County. Inside the sanctuary, a full community resource fair connected residents with services ranging from addiction recovery and health resources to children’s activities and prayer support.
“Our goal was never just to give away food,” Lupton said. “Convoy of Hope’s mission — and ours — is about sharing Jesus. We wanted people to know they matter, that they’re seen, and that someone cares enough to pray with them.”
That prayer table, Lupton said, became one of the most powerful elements of the day.
“There were people in tears,” he said. “Not just because they were getting food, but because someone stopped, listened to them, and prayed with them. That’s what stayed with our volunteers.”
Among the many partners on site was Well Watered Ministries who brought a truck and enclosed trailer filled with free clothing for families in need. Children were invited to create crafts while parents visited resource tables, turning the church into a welcoming, family-friendly space rather than a simple drive-through distribution.
The event required a massive volunteer effort. Lupton estimated between 80 and 100 volunteers served throughout the day, including more than 50 from New Start Community Church and dozens from partner organizations and neighboring churches.
“We tried to count cars, but it got too busy,” he said. “At one point, the line wrapped all the way around our property and backed up onto the highway. It was overwhelming — in the best way.”
Lupton, who has served as pastor at New Start Community Church for five years, said the outreach reflects the church’s long-term vision rather than a one-day effort. Originally from Sumter and raised in Charleston, Lupton previously pastored in Georgia before returning to the region. He said the church has spent years building relationships through outreach ministries, including youth sports leagues and partnerships with other local churches.
“When I first came here, I asked our leadership team, ‘If this church closed tomorrow, would the community even notice?’” Lupton said. “Our goal has always been to make sure the answer to that question is yes — not for church growth, but for Kingdom work.”
That “Kingdom work,” as Lupton describes it, has included collaboration with Follow Me Crusade, addiction recovery ministries such as Teen Challenge and Reconciliation Ministries, and ongoing outreach through New Start Sports Ministry, which has hosted two seasons of soccer and is preparing to launch a flag football league.
Lupton also credited Pine Grove Baptist Church, TMC Construction, Gunter Camp and Conference Center, and the Clarendon County Chamber of Commerce for logistical and volunteer support.
One act of generosity stood out: when Black Oak Equipment Rental learned the church needed heavy equipment to unload pallets, the company provided it at no cost.
“They didn’t charge us a thing once they knew it was for the community,” Lupton said. “That kind of support makes this work possible.”
Encouraged by the turnout, New Start Community Church is already looking ahead, guided by its mission to “Seek Jesus. Serve Jesus. Share Jesus.” Future goals include converting a trailer into a mobile shower unit for disaster response, providing no-interest microloans to help residents secure housing, distributing Bibles and essential items, and expanding outreach days throughout the community.
For Lupton, the true measure of success wasn’t how quickly the truck emptied, but the connections made along the way.
“People left knowing they weren’t alone,” he said. “And if that’s what our community remembers about us, then we’re doing what we’re called to do.”
