“It doesn't promise to solve or erase suffering but to transform it, pledging that by loving one another, even through pain, we will find more life. And it insists that by opening ourselves to strangers, the despised or frightening or unintelligible other, we will see more and more of the holy, since, without exception, all people are one body: God's.”
― Sara Miles, Take This Bread: A Radical Conversion
Bridge St. United Church is the fourth congregation in a row where I have served which offers meal ministries to the wider community. In two instances we began the ministry and while we moved with faltering steps it was gratifying to see the response of our members and the support of other congregations and those who had no church affiliation.
The two meal ministries of Bridge St UC, Inn from the Cold and Thank God It's Friday are the most ambitious in that the frozen meals of TGIF are given out every Friday, and Inn from the Cold is every day for six weeks in the heart of winter. Remarkably, the money comes in, food is donated in abundance, and about 170 volunteers from this congregation and everywhere make it happen. Last year 8,200 meals were served in one form or another, which obviously addresses a tremendous need. The demographics of downtown Belleville have changed significantly over the years, and there are many people on social assistance, the working poor, in treatment centres, who are close at hand. The response of what was once perceived as a rather elite congregation is, to me, a sign of Christ at work.
Those who are involved from the congregation freely offer that they are recipients of grace through these programs, something which Sara Miles alludes to in the quote above. I have turned to her moving book often as inspiration for the establishment of compassionate meal ministries as a gospel imperative, not just charity.
Please pray for the work of both these initiatives in the weeks ahead, and for programs in other congregations, including The Gathering Place in Bowmanville.
Have you ever been involved in a meal ministry? Have you been the recipient? Is this gospel work?
3 comments:
"Inasmuch as ye do it to one of the least of these, ye do it to Me" (Jesus) Of course, it has to be considered ministry - and though the "elite" of the Congregation may not always feel comfortable mixing and mingling with our guests, it is important that we provide this, and try to see their lives and circumstances for what they are (and maybe realize that any one of us could be in that situation, needing help from others , at any point in our lives)
What church-work is meant to look like....
As Christians, we are responsible for providing hospitality and doing works of mercy (Judy's ref. above).
I've participated in this program for several years. along with many others, both inside and outside of the church. This has led to many fellowship circles of likeminded folk, amongst both co-worker volunteers, as well as amongst the guests we serve.
All I can say is: a very big THANK YOU!
To our fellow volunteers and leaders for the hard work shared, but also the fellowship and the camaraderie.
And also to our guests, for accepting our invitation to receive our hospitality in accordance with our faith, and for sharing your stories and parts of your lives with us. It's very much a two-way street.
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