The Blind Beggar

And there are no strings attached.

According to our local community weekly newspaper, last year after the area’s economy was hit hard, the people of Riversgate Church gathered and discussed ways they could help. “Their solution was to offer a free, homecooked, buffet-style dinner once a week and to invite anyone and everyone who wanted to partake.”

“This wasn’t to be a typical church event: no sermon, no pressure to join the congregation, no preaching, no judgment. It would simply be a chance for anyone looking to sit down for a free, hot meal to do so. In other words, no strings attached: just a good, honest, homecooked meal.”

Here is what one person had to say about the effort: “This has been a real help,” says Lauren McGrath, a Unitarian who doesn’t attend Riversgate. “Last year was extremely rough on us…. Cash was short and we had been eating potato chips for five or six months – that was dinner, or whatever we could find at the Dollar Tree.” She went on to say, “Our situation is a little better now that the economy has improved, but we still come, even though it’s not absolutely necessary for our survival. We like hanging out with everyone.”

This is part of what missional looks like in their context. Nice job Riversgate!

“Seeking to be conduits of God’s common grace so that we can be conduits of God’s saving grace.”