As we consider fitting a servery and lavatories into our
church, how do people find that they help in mission?
IN MY reading of the Early Church in the New Testament, churches
were essentially people's homes, where people would meet and where
the hospitality included feeding all those who came. Later, when
churches became well-established in their own purpose-built
meeting-places, the hospitality became symbolically represented in
the eucharistic meal.
In our generation, it is hard to envisage mission to unchurched
people happening without hospitality in refreshments and the
back-up facility that lavatories provide. Hospitality is an
ice-breaking activity that does not require people to understand
the symbolic before they can get to know what church is about.
Whether at the fête, the jumble sale, or the coffee morning, the
provision of refreshments is always important. One of my Good
Friday services had a higher attendance than on any Sunday of the
year when we offered hot cross buns to all comers.
Refreshments are not mission, however; they are the context for
mission. There is a kind of unconditional love shown to people by
volunteers' turning up to provide hospitality. There will be no
extension in mission just by having a servery and lavatories
without people to engage with and chat to as a means of making
friends.
In previous generations, it would have been hard to imagine that
so many people in our parishes would have had no knowledge or
experience of even being in a church. Offering hospitality in the
place where worship also takes place gives opportunity for
familiarity to develop, and for barriers and doubts to diminish.
The sociable atmosphere over tea and cake allows questions to be
asked, misconceptions to be gently addressed, and common interest
to be identified.
Churches' mission through hospitality extends also to catering
for the poor in our society, and to the poor in spirit. There are
churches that provide daily café provision for the homeless, for
the elderly, for day centres, and for the general public. These
range from churches that lease out part of their premises to a café
or restaurant that is run professionally to churches that provide a
weekly coffee-morning, or daily lunches run by volunteers. Some of
these functions clearly require a kitchen rather than a servery,
including cooking rather than heating-up provision.
Think carefully (and, in the words of the parable, measure
carefully) before opting for a kitchen - it will cost much more to
install, and will be more intrusive in your church - but most of
all check that you have the resources to run it well. For all but
the smallest activity, you would probably need a professional
manager; and a realistic assessment of the availability of a host
of suitable volunteers is needed.
The volunteer programme should include sufficient people for
them each to have "time off" to allow for volunteers' being,
perhaps, less committed to turning up than those who are paid. Have
some slack in the planned numbers, and have regular training
schedules to keep everyone up to date, not only on what you are
trying to achieve but also on essentials as health and safety in
the kitchen and café, and good working practice.
If cooking is only an occasional activity, then a servery is
probably the way to go. If, in future years, the church gets so
busy that a kitchen is essential, then that is the time to work on
getting it installed.
Send your questions, comments and issues to
maggiedurran@virginmedia.com.