Five Loaves, Two Fish | Mary Gauthier: Mercy Now

Hello Friends,

I'm enjoying being back in the routines of home and work. And loving my memories of the Wild Goose Festival.

I did a workshop on Wealth and Poverty--essentially telling, and hearing, what are some things that churches can do to address poverty. I'm expanding on that here with three upcoming articles. The first, today, is about the simple things to do, and ways you might expand those ministries. The second, next Monday, is harder ways to serve people who are poor. I know of churches doing the programs in these two articles. Next Thursday is the third installation: what are over-the-top wonderful ideas that I haven't seen any (recent) churches do. It's my dream of how to follow Christ in care of those who are poor.

Enjoy, and tell me what your church is doing.

-Liz

Serving People who are poor. Part #

• Food Pantry: The best you of these are set up like a store so people can shop for what they need. If you'd like to expand your pantry, consider adding fresh fruits and vegetables to what you hand out.

• Pop-up Food Pantry: A Wild Goose participant is running a Spanish language pop-up pantry. The location changes and notifications are by word of mouth so that ICE cannot stake out the program to make arrests. Another idea would be to provide delivery service.

• Dinner Church/Soup Kitchen/Meal Program: If you can manage it, try to create this as a social program of the church. People with and without plenty get together to cook together, and eat together, once a week.

• Eye Glasses: Collect old frames and work with an optician to provide glasses for people who need them.

• Dental Care: My dentist goes to a church once a month to provide check-ups, cleanings, and to refer people for more dental work.

• Moving Ministry: Arrange with the town social worker to provide moving for people in one or two bedroom apartments. Church members help the person moving with packing, and then rent a truck. They spend one day packing the truck, moving to the nearby location, and setting up the apartment. One goal is to leave the resident with a ready to use apartment: rugs and furniture in place and bed made.

• Ride Share Ministry: Provide transportation by mini-van or personal cars. Some churches limit this to helping people get to their meal, food pantry, or clothing closet. Others develop a system to help with doctors appointments or grocery shopping.

• Clothing Closets: Many churches have clothing closets, sometimes providing income to the congregation but always serving people who are poor. Free Stores allow people to take without paying. It helps to limit how many items each person can take.

Direct service ministries are made stronger when you invite those who need the resources to be volunteers at the program. Focus as much on creating relationships as you do with handing out items. Remember to see Christ in all those you serve.

What is your church doing for people who are poor? I'd love to tell your story. Reply to this email to let me know what's happening. ​
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To make your ministry more relational, less transactional, check out my book on food pantries and meal programs. It includes stories from eight churches where the people being served are also the volunteers for their programs.

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Mary Gauthier's music is some of my favorites. Her song Mercy Now was released in 2005 but is very relevant today. (Just over 6 minutes long.)

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If you would like to see past newsletter articles, click below.

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