In the beginning...

Steve is coming to help serve today. I work with him and when he heard that there was church in the park he said he wanted to come.

He said he helped serve food to the homeless a couple of times in San Francisco. When he asked when he should come I invited him to come this Friday. Pastor Dave, Jimmy, Christina, Erin and a number of others would be out of town along with others on vacation so I knew we would be short of help.

Pastor Dave and Jimmy started this whole thing. They were talking to some of the homeless men who camp behind Wendy's. They asked the men what did they need. One man, Randy, said they needed to eat on Fridays. St. Timothy's feeds them all the other days. Jimmy asked them would they come to the park on Fridays if a meal was provided and they had church. Randy said yes but not at night. Why?, Jimmy asked. Cause we're all drunk and no one would come so do it in the morning. Cool, said Jimmy. Randy said they needed protein, that St. Timothy's feeds them mainly starches and they need more protein. Cool, said Jimmy.

That's how it started almost a year ago.

It's about 50 who come on a regular basis. They always get protein. Christina gets the volunteers to cook. Christina was telling me awhile back that when they lost the person who planned the meals and coordinated the whole effort Pastor Dave came to Christina (his wife) and asked her to take over. She shared with me that at first she resented the suggestion. Three kids, full time ministry, running around doing everything for everybody and keeping the house maintained so that the office, youth group, women's meetings could meet there. She is busy. So she was hesitant and not thrilled but she said she would. As she was telling me this her eyes filled with tears as she shared that now that she has come to know individuals and their stories she finds that as she is cooking the meals God brings faces to her and she finds herself praying for them. She has fallen in love with Friday morning church in the park. Her children come and they eat with the others.


No ministry is single minded. God reaches down and does His work in so many hearts.


Back to Steve, he was a trooper! Without knowing anyone there but me he just found a spot by the bleu cheese Cole slaw and started serving. It will be interesting to see if he returns.

One "almost fight" broke out today. God brought peace as the other men shouted, "Hey, this is church, cut it out!"

This is different stuff...we are not feeding the homeless. We are not trying to change them. They don't come just to eat...they really believe this is their church and that is how they talk about it.

All in all today was a good day. I got to see how the Lord has settled things in me as well. I wasn't worried about whether Steve felt comfortable or if he approved. I would have had great concern about this not too long ago. Instead I found myself asking the Lord to take care of Steve while I helped get things set up. And He did.

I think that I have decided that it is time to just get up, get back out from behind church walls, and dare to just do it!