Category: Food Scarcity

“Non-Ordinary church”: so what if they only come for the food.

7/13/2022

Rain (which it is doing) doesn't keep folks away from the breakfast; and they waiting around for the service.

“But do you think they’d come if you didn’t serve a breakfast or hot dogs?”

Probably not, for the most part.

Imagine someone walking up to Jesus during the feeding of the five thousand and saying, “They’re only here for the food, you know?”

I can imagine Jesus’s reply: “So?”

I get this and similar questions and statements all the time about our weekly Saturday sidewalk breakfast and church service and the summer Wednesday evening Park BBQs. Usually, from the well fed and safely sheltered, I might add.

And, plus, what’s wrong with doing something that seeks to meet a perceived need, let alone a real life need, and, in this case with us, so also to be able to tell them about their eternal need of forgiveness and that Jesus paid that price for them?

Do not think “ordinary church” (regular Sunday-go-to-a-building church) doesn’t do the same thing . . . most church programs are to meet perceived need and attract people or to get them to stay . . . children’s programs, nurses on Sundays, and other youth activities appeal to parents perceived needs; church family functions appeal to family perceived needs, even friendships appeal to perceived needs . . . almost all church activities include the “don’t forget to invite your . . . [friend, neighbor, co-worker, family]” clause to get the unchurched to, well, go to church through these programs and activities. Most VBSs, Christmas events, even Easter activities are designed to “attract” through something that a person or family perceives as important or needed. This is never questioned.

But serve the poor and homeless food and the ordinary church folks go crazy. (Well, not all of them; but you know what I mean.)

Nevertheless, also, let’s remember there is direct biblical precedence (inference) in joining gospel & food, church & food, even preaching/teaching & food. Food is an element in Jesus’ ministry whether it is around a table or in a field or on a mount. It is a founding element in the young, newly born church well into the first 150 years of early church history, and still hanging on up to 350 AD until Constantine put the church in a box (i.e., a building) and took it out of the home and away from the actual meal (supper) table.

We build ordinary on what we have always done and on the cultural, social, and structural habits we are accustomed to (e.g., a 5 day work/weekend–week for example or full time Monday-Friday jobs that give us evenings and weekends off—the young and early church knew of no such privileges). Making what we think is “ordinarily” based on our customs and culture—our own location in time, place, and space, we, then, read back into scripture and then affirm our “ordinarily.” But a non-ordinary people in a non-ordinary place needs non-ordinarily church.

The sidewalk church in no way replaces the Sunday gathering. But it is church in a place and space where people will most likely never go to a building-church in a neighborhood outside (in most cases, way outside) their neighborhoods.

Two things, outside the “So if they come for only the food” take:

First, the homeless, the poor neighbors, those experiencing food scarcity (among all the other experiences of basic needs scarcity) can imagine an outside, year round (even in the rain and cold and snow) church being formed. It is hard for the well-buildinged (I made up a word here)—buildinged church, “an ordinarily church” to imagine such a church forming.

Second, while it is still small, average on any given Saturday on the sidewalk is about 12, but some Saturdays upward to 15, 20, and once in a while 30, the weather doesn’t determine the numbers—the attendance—of people who join us for Sidewalk Church. Pouring rain. Zero degree and single digit cold. Snow, even blizzard. Nor hail. And not even hot and muggy . . . stop folks from coming and joining us. The “ordinary church” that meets in a building and is mostly accessed by car can’t even imagine such faith.

So . . . so what if they only come for the food . . . the breakfast . . . the hot dogs?

If these posts have been helpful or edifying to you, please consider contributing to our church planting and ministry in the Hill community of New Haven, CT. You may donate online through our website or send a donation to our anchor church marked for CPC in The Hill @ 135 Whitney Ave, New Haven, CT 06510 (checks are to be made out to Christ Presbyterian Church or simply CPC; and in the memo please indicate Hill/CA). For more information or to receive our Hill News Updates (see site tab "Learning Wasted Local" above), please contact me, Pastor Chip, through this email address: [email protected].

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Joseph's Storehouse Air Conditioner Project

7/26/2015

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Joseph’s Storehouse needs Air Conditioning for its expanded warehouse.

In America 40% of our food supply goes to waste. Joseph’s Storehouse seeks to remedy this and help our neighbors to alleviate their own food scarcity. Joseph's Storehouse is a non-profit food bank and co-op established in South Florida to supply food pantries and, as well, low-income single parents, individuals and families. The Storehouse has also donated over 37,000 pounds of food (over 18 tons!) in June alone to area food pantries, churches, and soup kitchens that do not have adequate resources or limited funding for their own food supplies. To date in 2015, they have been able to give away 84 tons of good, healthy food. Joseph’s Storehouse is able to support limited hours of operations from a minimum admin fee we collect, as well as, from small donations from our supporters.

Our first space was originally 1,800 sq. ft., out-growing it in about 8 months. The present warehouse where our families, individuals, and feeding programs shop in has, now, doubled to about 3,600 sq. ft. In order to cool the larger facility for both the food and our shoppers, Joseph’s Storehouse requires the purchase and installation of least 2 four-ton condensers and air handlers. We are currently utilizing a used 4 ton condenser that was donated and we bought the matching air handler. Though thankful for this unit, it is insufficient to cool our current space here in South Florida. The cost of the new units is $9,800. Along with some current support on hand, we are seeking the remaining $7,900 to complete the project. Prayerfully and joyfully please consider giving to support our community efforts. And, if you are in the area, come see us if you haven't already! (See Joseph's Storehouse Facebook page.)

Consider giving to Joseph's Storehouse air conditioner GoFundMe project

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“Non-Ordinary church”: so what if they only come for the food.

Joseph's Storehouse Air Conditioner Project

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