Answering your questions about a Community Meal
While the townhall feedback reflected a lot of interest in and excitement about a community meal, there were understandably some questions and concerns. I get that, and I want to be as transparent as possible as we move forward to help all of us be comfortable with the idea. Over the course of my 10 years of ministry, I have started programs like this one three times in two different congregations, so this is an area in which I have some pretty deep experience. Drawing on that experience, I want to offer some thoughts and perspectives on some of your questions.
Who is this for? It should be a community meal, but not a congregation (exclusive) meal.
Yes! My biggest dream for this is that it is truly a meal for our entire community–homeless and housed, secure and struggling, members and not-yet-members. That’s what we’ll try for because that’s how we’ll have the best opportunity to build relationships between Jesus followers and those who don’t yet know him. I’ve seen it work that way before. The best thing you can do to help make that a reality Come be a part of it!
Why not partner with another already-established ministry?
We could do this, but my experience has been that the relationship building, opportunities for prayer, etc. don’t usually go as well because they are mediated by the goals, philosophies, and sometimes even territorialism of another organization. At the same time, we already have all the resources we need to build direct connections with our neighbors.
How will we reach people who need this?
If my past experience is a guide, nearly all of the growth will come by word of mouth from those we serve. However, there are certain things we can do to help spread the word. We can, and will, send some willing teams out to make invitations and we can also make use of our connections in some of the local elementary schools to let families know about this opportunity.
Is there space available for this?
Long before I showed up Trinity has been doing a great job of sharing our facility with others. I love that! But I think we’ll be able to find some time. Right now we’re looking at when other organizations do and don’t serve meals–where there are gaps in what’s being provided–and we’ll look at that against our own schedule when we have more of that information.
Are we too far from people who might need this?
Maybe from some, but here are some observations. First, the Salvation Army recently opened a large operation just across TV Highway from us. That suggests there are plenty of people able, and looking, to access those services. We can see this playing out both on our own property and as we travel around the surrounding area. And, sadly, more people reported struggling with food insecurity this year than in 2020 at the height of the pandemic. That means while we do see some number of people in our area who are obviously in need, there are probably more people than we even know who could benefit from a regular meal. Are they close by? Maybe not, but I’ve seen people walk a mile or more–not just for a dinner, but because (this is a direct quote) when they went there someone knew their name and recognized them. So there’s more people are looking for than just food, and they’ll travel for it.
How will we get those who come to eat to also stay for a message?
I want to be as gentle and also direct as I can be on this one. That is not the goal. We will welcome them, show them love and care, offer them dignity, and get to know them. Along the way, we will look for natural opportunities to share a bit of good news or offer a prayer, but the primary “work” will be building genuine relationships. Over time, that will lead to more and more opportunities to share faith and more and more people wanting to know more and eventually joining us for worship. I’ve seen it over and over. On this one I just need you to trust me.
Will this turn Trinity into an unofficial homeless camp? What about safety? Interactions
with kids and our preschool families? Needles, drug use, etc.?
All of these concerns are valid and legitimate. Out of around a thousand people I have interacted with in two congregations, one person used drugs one time and one person stole a window air conditioner. So it does happen, and there are certain common sense measures we can take for safety. But, the vast majority of people are grateful for the support they receive and the welcome they feel, and they work very hard to protect and honor that by honoring (even caring for) the space, observing the rules, and “self-policing.” I have routinely brought my wife and kids to community meals with me because I have been confident that if anything did happen (which it never did) a dozen people would step in to put a stop to it. That’s what happens when we build relationships of care and respect–when we respect our neighbors, they respect and protect us.
What if this turns people away from coming to Trinity?
Certainly some people are less comfortable around people who are homeless or struggling, and they may choose to find a church that better suits their needs. That’s okay. But this is a good thing to do for those who need support whether it “grows” the church or not. (Having said that, there is good evidence especially from those who are unchurched that community involvement is a better entry point for them than worship or Bible study.)
How will it affect the neighbors?
This is a good thing to look out for. In part, the presence of homeless people is a growing reality in our neighborhood whether we help them in any way or not–so we might as well help. But we can certainly do it in a way that our neighbors can feel good about. Similar to the response above, as we “do the work” of building respectful relationships, we earn the right to talk with our guests about helping us to be a good neighbor.