Matthew 28 Project: Whittier neighborhood lunch

[Well, we switched our mission posts, temporally, from Guatemala to the Whittier neighborhood, where Faith Lutheran Church resides.  Faith's Matthew 28 project is our effort to live our Christian mission locally.] Imagine your family, our family, inviting 84 of our neighbors, including Jesus,* for an Advent lunch! That is exactly what Faith's Evangelism Board did last Thursday, December 10th, at the Bishop Dudley Hospitality House—the homeless shelter in our Whittier neighborhood. Our Evangelism Board has applied for a Reformation 2017 “Stand With Your Community” Grant to, in part, provide one noon meal per month at the Bishop Dudley Hospitality House.  This was a “test run,” to inform us about the work, the people, the purchases, and the service involved.  In the future, we also hope to do some Bible studies with the guests. ·      First, Sheldon Gross applied for and received one of his two annual $250 Thrivent "Live Generously" member grants.  Every Thrivent member has access to these grant funds. ·      Then, on Tuesday, Kathy Gross, Sheldon, and Elaine Sestak bought enough food for chili, toppings, fruit, and dessert. ·      On Wednesday, Kathy and Sheldon, Chris Hartman, and Elaine prepared the meal at the BDHH kitchen. ·      On Thursday, Jo Skunberg, Lynn Boyd, Kathy and Sheldon, Scott and Patty Peters, and Elaine served lunch to 83 guests and then ate with them.       The guests expressed appreciation for the service and the food, especially for having meat, which they don’t always receive during noon meals. One of the guests had 6-month old twins.  We couldn't imagine how we would handle being homeless with infants at Christmas.  But, then, that's part of what Christmas is about. Thank you, Faith, for your support of this Matthew 28 project, for some of the greatest among us.** Blessings, and Merry Christmas, Your Faith Evangelism Board *Mt. 25:40.  ** Concordia Seminary Professor, Rev. Dr. Jeffrey Gibbs, writes in his Commentary on Matthew that “Jesus will . . . define greatness as lowly, childlike neediness and will invite His disciples, both then and now, to a radically different way of thinking and living in community.”  Jesus also taught them that greatness is servanthood:  “whoever wants to be great among you shall be your servant.”  Gibbs, Concordia Commentary on Matthew 11:2-20:34 (CPH 2010) p. 889.