What a Week!

When I came in to the office this past Tuesday, the Tuesday Morning Team (headed up by Suzanne Kull) was quickly finishing their preparations for Wednesday’s Largest Table. The timing could not have been better because as they were finishing their work the sewer had just begun to back flow into the kitchen. Little did we know then what a challenge would ensue.

Bonnie quickly called Rescue Rooter and they were able to get a team out to help us about 4:00 p.m. Rescue Rooter called it a night about 10:00 p.m. and came back first thing the next morning, along with the company, PureClean, who we called in to clean and sanitize the kitchen. After both companies had worked for a couple of hours on Wednesday morning it became clear that we would not be able to serve the luncheon in Fellowship Hall that day. The clean up job had become massive and we still had not determined the exact source of the problem.

That Wednesday morning I experienced The Largest Table as I have never experienced it before. Not once did I hear words of frustration or irritation. “Let’s move it outside” one person said. “How great that we planned to have picnic food!” said another. The PureClean team sanitized a path through the kitchen so that we could cart out the food. The work table in the office was set up to prepare our usual dessert smorgasbord. Tables were taken outside and everyone seemed to take delight in the new set up. Two guests took me aside to express their gratitude for the meal taking place in spite of the challenges and uncertainty we were facing. I appreciated their kind remarks, but even as they said them I knew our volunteers had never even considered canceling.

By the end of Wednesday, we realized that we were facing much more than a stopped up drain. By then, Gary Baas, Mike Rangel and David Wolfe were all on board with their own questions, concerns, and expertise. Together, with Dallas from Rescue Rooter, Mike and Gary sought to determine the extent of the problem and the appropriate course of action. It was pretty much a non-stop investigation through Friday morning! As of this writing, we are still waiting on all of the bids but we know that the work is going to be extensive.

This past week’s lectionary reading was the story of Mary and Martha found in the gospel of Luke. Jesus criticizes Martha, who was hard at work in the kitchen, for being “distracted by many things.” Often this story is interpreted to suggest that Mary’s listening and attentiveness were “better” than Martha’s hard work. As I thought about this text and my experience of the people of St. John’s this week, I realized it was not Martha’s actions that Jesus was so concerned about, but rather her being so distracted.

I am especially grateful for the many people at St. John’s who when faced with a challenge are able to set aside differences, focus on the matter at hand, and get to work. Thanks for all you do!

Runners Feeding Others

The Largest Table has been selected as the fund-raising recipient of a newly organized UCC effort, Runners Feeding Others for the Nationwide Columbus Marathon, October 18, 2009. If you are participating with the race, please consider linking up with RFO to make your marathon (or half-marathon or 5K race) about more than just exercise.

Runners Feeding Others is the creation of Steve Wylie, a running member of First Grace United Church of Christ in Akron. He dreamed up the concept before competing in the Cleveland half marathon in May, and came home with donations for 2,500 pounds of food for the First Grace food pantry. Conference Minister, Bob Molsberry, thought that was a pretty good idea, so he's bringing it to the Nationwide Columbus Marathon (where he finished second last year). Rev. Leslie Carole Taylor, pastor of Trinity UCC in Thornville, is bringing a team from her church and designing T-shirts to commemorate the event. Want to get involved? Here's how:

• Share this initiative with others who might be participating in the Columbus Marathon races October 18.
• Contact Bob Molsberry (bobm@ocucc.org) to sign up for the very loose "team" that is being created. No worries about pre-existing conditions, dues, qualifying pace standards, or income levels. No meetings to attend. Just sign up, solicit donations for The Largest Table, run your race, and send your money in.
• Send checks on behalf of your favorite runner to The Largest Table, St. John's United Church of Christ, 59 East Mound Street, Columbus, Ohio, 43215. (If you didn't have a favorite runner, you do now. Bob Molsberry will be glad to forward your donations to St. John's.)
  
  Technical T-shirts will be available before the race. Price and design will be forthcoming. You must pay in advance (checks to Ohio Conference UCC, 6161 Busch Blvd. #95, Columbus, OH 43229).
  
  

Manna from Heaven!

One person called it, "manna from heaven!" She was referring to the amazing generosity of so many people over the past several weeks to The Largest Table. Jerry, a new member who worked at The Ohio State Fair, coordinated getting us all of the leftovers from the Ohio Poultry Association - we're talking hundreds of pounds of mashed potatoes, chicken, and turkey and other wonderful food! Suzanne, a friend a St. John's, linked up with the Leave A Mark Church who has planted an incredible community garden this year. For the past several Tuesdays Suzanne has been harvesting fresh vegetables from the garden, bringing them to St. John's, and cleaning them all so that they are ready for our Wednesday crew to prepare the next day. To see photos of the "first harvest" go to the Leave A Mark web site, click-on the “What We Do” link and then “Community Garden.” This is easy to navigate but for some reason I was unable to connect the link here.

On Wednesday, as I sat with guests at The Largest Table, I heard comment after comment about how great it was to have fresh fruit and fresh vegetables, and of course a regular favorite - Nancy Dietz' taco salad. A couple of people mentioned that is so rare for them to eat fresh vegetables ... and these were so fresh you could smell that they were picked the previous day!

Amidst all of these generous gifts of food, we have lost some of our regular volunteers. A couple of people have left because of illness, and several other summer volunteers are heading back to school next week. As our guest list continues to increase, we are in need of some more volunteers. I am hoping they might fall from heaven, too - a few to help serve on Wednesdays from 11:45 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. and a few more saints who can help clean from 1:00 - 2:30 p.m.

Floating Hope

Every morning I wake up to find a "quote of the day" from http://www.gratefulness.org/ in my inbox. I look forward to these short quotes that always help me put things in a positive perspective, but usually the quote is quickly discarded. Several days ago, though, one particular quote caught my attention and it has been in my inbox ever since.

When hope is not pinned wriggling onto a shiny image or expectation, it sometimes floats forth and opens like one of those fluted Japanese blossoms, flimsy and spastic, bright and warm. This almost always seems to happen in community.

Anne Lamott "The Impossible Will Take a Little While," Plan B

I love this image! Returning home from vacation and re-entering the community of St. John's, I am filled with all sorts of hopes for this coming year. Hopes and goals are helpful; they give us vision and purpose. And yet, as I am listening both to the hopes and the concerns of others I recognize that several things will not unfold as I had first envisioned. My family will tell you that once I get an idea in my head: watch out! I get pretty determined to make it a reality. It is an on-going challenge for me to let go of "shiny expectations."

However, knowing this community as I do, I know that the outcome of a community effort is always better than a single effort. I have seen such great blossoming in this community so often, I have come to trust it. And I am looking forward to seeing what will be blossoming this fall.

p.s. I really don't know what a fluted Japanese blossom is; the above is my best guess from a little searching on google and my own imagination.

Cilantro, Heavy Lifting, and Sales Receipts

The "Tuesday Team" was back at it yesterday; we prepared Mexican Chili for today's lunch at The Largest Table. I woke up this morning looking forward to lunch - the smells were great as we were leaving last night! The chili will be served with a dollop of sour cream and a few snips of fresh cilantro from the children's garden. There was something really thrilling about being able to harvest a huge amount of fresh cilantro from right outside our doors and know that it was the children of the church who planted it. I am sure not everyone will opt for the cilantro garnish today, but I think it is what will make this soup.

I also have a renewed appreciation for Joan and Mary, and our core "Wednesday Team." Between all of the cans of tomatoes, beef broth and black beans that were opened to make chili for 300 last night, I think Latsi was opening cans for more than an hour straight! I am sure she will be able to feel the workout on her arms this morning. And then there was Stephanie who was able to lift our largest pots FULL of browned ground beef, onions, and peppers to drain them and return it the pan. But that is not at all unusual. Our volunteers often need to open that many cans. We always have full and heavy pots. The quantities of food we are preparing now are really quite amazing. I wish I had taken a photo of all of the empty cans - maybe I can get one later today and post it here. Think multiple cases that filled the entire back of my car! So, I have renewed appreciation for the physical labor that our volunteers engage in week after week.

I also have a renewed appreciation for their thriftiness. I am not sure how Joan does it. Routinely, she is able to shop for a meal to serve 200-300 people for less than $200. That is less than $1 per serving for a home cooked meal with all of the food groups. Repeat: I am not sure how Joan does it. I think of myself as a pretty good shopper, but I wasn't quite able to work her magic. I think she has the in with the loaves and fishes guy.

The Tuesday Team

Tonight is the first night of what I hope will be many for "The Tuesday Team." Often people have told me about how they would love to help with The Largest Table but are working, or otherwise committed, on Wednesdays. Last week I sent out an invite for coming in on Tuesday evening and cheffing up everything for Wednesday. The response has been great! Amy Rettig, Stephanie Coplan, Martha Asseff, Courtney Klamar, and Marilyn Potts are helping tonight; and many more said they would like to participate on a future Tuesday but just couldn't make it tonight. I sensed genuine enthusiasm from many possible Tuesday Team members about the idea.

I know there will be equal enthusiasm coming from those who are our regular volunteers on Wednesdays. As The Largest Table continues to grow, so does the demand for volunteers. This extra help will make a big difference to those who come in early on Wednesday mornings. In addition to creating "The Tuesday Team," we would also like to create two different teams for Wednesdays: one for set up and serving and the other for clean-up. I am confident that with some creativity and extra team work we can face the challenges of growth!

Do you have other ideas for expanding our ability to staff The Largest Table and or to serve the city?