First Immanuel Lutheran Church LCMS

Community Outreach Ministry Endeavor

(C.O.M.E.)

Mailing Address: 374 S. 3rd St., San Jose, CA 95112

Food & Clothing Bank

Schedule for the food program:
Every Tuesday morning from 8:30am to 10:00am. Clients need to come about 7:00am to
get a number and wait in line to be able to get food.

Schedule for the clothing distribution:
Every Tuesday from 9:00am to 12:00pm. Also,
Every Thursday from 5:00pm to 6:00pm. Please try to bring a bag to take your items
home, sometimes we run out of them.

COME Work party every first Saturday from 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM

El horario para la distribución de comida es:
Todos los Martes de las 8:30de la mañana hasta las10:00 de la mañana. Debe venir como
a las 7:00 de la mañana para recibir un número y esperar en la fila para recibir sus
alimentos.

El horario de la distribución de la ropa es:
Todos los Martes desde las 9:00de la mañana hasta las 12:30pm. Por favor traiga si es
posible su bolsa para llevarse la ropa que escoja , pues a veces se nos acaban.
También distribuimos ropa todos los Jueves de las 5:00 de la tarde hasta las 6:30.

“Proclaiming Christ to the Nations”
“Proclamando Cristo a las Naciones”

First Immanuel Lutheran Church has been in San Jose for over one hundred years and since 1949 has been at the downtown location of 374 South Third Street. As the inner-city area began to show signs of change, members of the congregation who live throughout the Santa Clara Valley, began seeking additional ways of ministering to the needs of people in the immediate locale. An outgrowth of this concern was the establishment in 1980 of the program known as the Community Outreach Ministry Endeavor (C.O.M.E.)

Desiring to expand the C.O.M.E. program further, in 1981 the “Clothes Closet” was opened. Clothing donated by local churches and individuals in the valley is distributed free of charge to people in need.

The most ambitious C.O.M.E. venture, “Feed the Sheep.” was initiated in August 1985, distributing food to those in need.

November 2011 C.O.M.E. became a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.

February 8, 2022 the C.O.M.E. building, which hosted the food distribution and clothes closet, was completely destroyed by arson fire. Despite the fire, we have not missed a week of distribution. The clothes closet operates out of the choir room of First Immanuel Lutheran church (Tuesday 9:00 – 1:00 and Thursday 4:00 – 6:00 pm) and the food distribution is completed in the church parking lot on Tuesday – 8:30-10:30 – rain or shine.

God has certainly blessed the C.O.M.E. program and has enabled us to reach out to many thousands of people to nurture their bodies and souls. The program is driven by Matthew 25:35-40. It reads: “For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed Me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was in prison and you came to Me”. Then the righteous will answer him, “Lord, when did we see thee hungry and feed thee, or thirsty and give thee drink? And the King will answer them, “Truly I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.”

We encourage you to join us in this outreach ministry with your prayers, voluntary involvement, and financial support. We would love to add more hours to the food distribution and clothes closet. In order to do this, we need more volunteers (data entry, signing in clients, packing food, assisting the clients) and for the clothes closet (sorting items, signing in clients, assisting clients). Help us to continue reaching out to those of God’s children who are not only in physical need but also in desperate need of knowing how our Lord stretched out His loving arms to save the world.

Please contact us for additional information regarding Community Outreach Ministry Endeavor by visiting: Comeboard121@gmail.com . If you wish to make a monetary donation, please make checks payable to C.O.M.E. Our mailing address is C.O.M.E. c/o First Immanuel Lutheran Church, 374 S Third Street, San Jose, CA 95112