Church ends zoning request; but food ministry, thrift store still need new home to serve

A Washington pastor has rescinded her request to have a property rezoned to use as a food pantry and thrift store, and is seeking another home for the ministry to the poor.

Rev. Gale Seibert gave the City of Washington Planning Commission written notice of the decision January 25. The hearing on the rezoning request was scheduled for Monday.

Public opposition to the zoning change had come to the attention of both zoning board members and Washington City Council members. Some were concerned about having a food pantry and thrift store in an essentially residential neighborhood. Others were concerned that once the property is zoned commercial, the property could be sold to a business that might change the nature of the neighborhood and damage property values.

Seibert said she removed the request from consideration because of the reaction. "We want anything we do to be a blessing to the community, not a source of divisiveness," she said. "We were a little shocked at the reaction. This was unexpected."

But God's Marketplace still needs a better home than the basement of the First Methodist Church. "We need more room, and we're still praying that God will open up a door for us to find a better place," she said. With a new fellowship hall in the works, and a remodeling of the youth department, buying a building for the food ministry just isn't possible.

"We know there's a place for us out there," she said. "In God's time."

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