“For I was hungry and you gave me food”

Every third Saturday of every month the members of Holy Cross Lutheran Church feed those in need a warm meal.  We started doing this in November of 2010 and haven’t stopped since.  Depending upon the month we’ve had upwards of 45 people come through our doors in need of a meal.  As a result we’ve fostered relationships we those who are considered to be on the fringes of society to the point in which they are now incredibly comfortable at Holy Cross.  The difference from when they first started coming is amazing.  It was here that I began a relationship with Steve (previous post) and with many others that have become a genuine part of my daily life here in Glenwood Springs.  Not a day goes by in which I don’t run into someone I’ve met at our meals.

This past Saturday the members of Holy Cross served over 40 men and women lunch.  This go around we ran out of food because we weren’t expecting such a large crowd but we got around that by going out and buying more food.  What’s really cool to witness is how grateful the guys are for the meal.  But what made this month’s lunch even more unique than the previous months is that we had only a handful of members there to help because of everyone’s busy schedules.  Still, it worked and it worked out very well.  The members who weren’t able to be there brought food the night before and the members who were there worked their butts off.

As pastor what’s been most amazing about feeding the needy every month has been witnessing how the congregation I serve has taken ownership of the event.  You see, some members were rather apprehensive about feeding the homeless when I first brought the idea to them.  In fact, my wife and I made the first meal since it was our crazy idea in the first place but since then the members have taken charge.  Now every month most of them are there ready to serve those in need a warm meal.  Honestly, it’s been very touching for this pastor to witness.  One of my wife’s professors at Concordia Irvine mentioned that we ought to document these occurrences as they are not the norm in the LCMS.  That a small congregation would serve such people and then be worshipping with a few of them the next day.  In fact, one of the people that we got to know through the meals is now a member of our congregation.  It’s Matthew 25, pure and simple.

I want you to know that this is a very small congregation (25 members) that I serve here in Glenwood Springs and they’ve been through a lot.  In fact, they’re still healing from the wounds of the past but they’ve got a lot of heart and a lot of love.  By worldly standards they shouldn’t be here, they should have been shut down a few years ago but they, we, are still here.  It’s a testament to the power and foolishness of the Gospel that Paul speaks of in 1 Corinthians.  It’s a testament to the faithfulness of our God.  There’s not any flash to the ministry here, we don’t have any of the resources that mission starts usually have, when we worship our music is that of a recording, our sound system is broken, I have no secretary, in fact I am my secretary.  But we’re here and we’re ready to give just like I recalled to you.  We are weak and foolish and yet because of Christ we are strong and wise.

Peace,

Scott+