With winter approaching, Brian Larkin wanted to do something to help out the New Florence community.

So in early December, the pastor of New Florence Baptist Church built a new food pantry called the Blessing Box, which stores dry goods, canned goods, personal care items and household items. It is located right next to the church.

“With winter coming along, people get stuck at home with bad weather and can’t get to the store to get some food,” Larkin said. “I thought it would be good timing. It was perfect and it’s during Christmas time. Hopefully, it will be a blessing in the community. It’s one of those things where I tell our people at church that anybody is welcome to put things in it and anybody is welcome to take things out of it.”

Larkin came up with the idea of having the Blessing Box when one day he was getting rid of some stuff at the church and found a cabinet.

“I said, ‘Hey, that would be perfect for the Blessing Box,’” Larkin said. “We just built it and put it up.”

The Blessing Box became the fourth custom-made food pantry in Montgomery County. The others are the Blessing Barn next to Jonesburg City Hall, the Sharing Shack next to Montgomery City Christian Church and the Share Tree next to Ponay’s in Wellsville.

“The small towns want to be blessings to their communities,” Larkin said. “In small towns, people know each other and everyone is familiar with everyone. I think it goes with that small town feel where people want to help each other and be blessings. We want to be a part of that, too. So we figured it would be a perfect time to do that.”

Larkin said residents started bringing items to the Blessing Box two days after it was built.

“We’re proud of it,” Larkin said. “It’s neat to be able to give back to the community, even in a small sense such as this Blessing Box. It’s also a great opportunity for people to bless one another a little more than anything.”

A member of the church, Jill Burch, did the design work on the Blessing Box, while Larkin and another person set it on the ground.

“It was kind of a group project,” Larkin said. “There were several of us who contributed to it, which was good. It takes a lot of people to fill it.”

The pastor said several children were helpful in putting items in the Blessing Box.

“I tell them, ‘Hey, put stuff in there for people,’” Larkin said. “We’ve already seen a couple of our kids coming up here and putting stuff in it. Not only is it a benefit for people, but it’s also kind of one of those ways for people to give back.”

Larkin, who lived in Montgomery County all of his life, is in his ninth year as pastor of New Florence Baptist Church, which is located at 309 East Hudson Street.

“It’s a great church,” Larkin said. “It has a really family feel. People love each other. It’s a blessing to be a part of such a generous church and also a church in the community you grew up in.”

Larkin graduated from Montgomery County High School in 1995 and the University of Central Missouri in 1999. He didn’t pursue ministry while attending UCM.

“I worked as an electrician and in construction for a number of years before getting into ministry,” Larkin said. “Then, the call to the ministry came a little later. We were members of this church when the former pastor started having me lead studies and do some preaching for him. Eventually, after he retired, the church called me to be the pastor.”