In 1967, the need was hard to ignore in Bartholomew County, Indiana.
Families were going hungry. Paychecks were not stretching far enough. Churches were seeing it up close.
In Columbus, Indiana, that reality has not gone away. Today, about 1 in 3 people may be working and still need help from a food pantry or another social service to get by. The pressure on families looks different now, but the gap between income and basic needs remains.
Local congregations began asking what they could do. Individually, their impact was limited. Together, it could be something more. About a dozen Christian churches joined forces, sharing resources, volunteers, and a common purpose.
That effort became Love Chapel.
Among the founding congregations was our very own First Lutheran Church. What started as a small collaboration has grown into a broad network of support across the county and is a way for First Lutheran Church to serve the community in a meaningful, impactful way.
"When Jesus calls us to love our neighbors as ourselves, he isn't speaking in metaphor — he means the person in line at Love Chapel who doesn't know where their next meal is coming from. Feeding the hungry isn't only a program run by Love Chapel; it's a practice of faith. We show up because God showed up for us first,” said Pastor Amy Bartleson-Balcam.
Today, Love Chapel includes 24 member churches, including First Lutheran Church, and 35 supporting congregations. Together, they operate a food pantry, a homeless shelter, and hot meal sites. The organization describes itself as a nonprofit committed to serving neighbors for more than 50 years, with a focus on food, shelter, and financial assistance. While rooted in Christian faith, its services are open to anyone.
The reach is significant. Each month, about 1,000 families receive help just from the food pantry. Some visit the on-site pantry, which is open daily. Others rely on mobile pantries that travel to areas where transportation can be a barrier, bringing food directly to neighborhoods that might otherwise go without. Nightly, the homeless shelter houses a few dozen people in the community who have no place to call home.
First Lutheran continues to play a hands-on role. Members serve on the board of directors. The congregation organizes food drives every other month and helps plan and execute hot meal programs. Volunteers also support fundraising efforts, including staffing a booth at the Bartholomew County Fair, one of the organization’s largest annual fundraisers. The church’s youth group includes the efforts in their annual Mission Week.
The partnership extends into community life. Pastor Bartleson-Balcam has helped plan a Blue Christmas service for those facing grief during the holidays. The church’s band has also helped organize a Worship in the Park service, bringing the broader community together under Love Chapel’s mission.
Community leaders say the organization fills a critical role in the local safety net. United Way of Bartholomew County regularly partners with Love Chapel on issues like food access, homelessness, and financial stability.
“Love Chapel is a critical resource for people in the community,” said Cathy King, Impact Director at United Way of Bartholomew County.”
For the churches involved, the work reflects a shared calling. Most denominations in Columbus are involved and they all have one shared purpose: to serve their neighbors as Jesus said.
Nearly six decades after it began, Love Chapel remains rooted in that original idea. See a need. Work together. Do something about it.
"A faith community that turns only inward slowly loses its heartbeat. When we walk alongside our neighbors at Love Chapel — not as benefactors, but as fellow human beings — we find that the community doesn't just receive from us. It forms us,” Pastor Amy said.
