Sitting at the stop light I caught it just out the corner of my eye. As I began to focus on it, a smile came across my face and a sense of grace-filled pride washed over me.
In bold letters for the entire world to see, or at least the literally thousands of people that pass by this busy corner of Minneapolis everyday, were the words: FREE COMMUNITY MEAL. And directly below this there was the proclamation: THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH WELCOMES YOU!
One of the consistent questions I ask faith communities is, “If I asked the clerk down the street if they knew where the Episcopal Church is what would they say?” I then always follow up with the the question, ” If in fact the clerk knew where the church was what would they say about the church? Maybe, “Oh, that’s the place that feeds the hungry!”
As a part of Mission Project 2012 last week thousands of people across Minnesota did not go hungry. Free meals, food collection, working in food banks and through other creative ways the Episcopal Church in Minnesota stood shoulder to shoulder across the state and reached out to those in need.
This is of course not the only way that we are partnering with each other to combat poverty in Minnesota. We have been collecting personal items in our partnership with ECS’s Ready For Success program and our two home builds in partnership with EpiscoBuilders in St. Louis Park and on White Earth. And there are still opportunities to both donate and volunteer be a part of the build.
“Have you heard of the Episcopal Church in Minnesota?” “Sure, those are the folks that feed the hungry, house the homeless, and help those in need.”
