St. Mark’s Lutheran Church will be restarting their weekly community meal on Wednesdsay.
The church is opening its doors to create a place of welcome to enjoy a good meal, nurture for body and spirit, and uniting people together around the table in community.
“The meal, formerly called Wednesday Night Live, has been paused since March of 2020,” said Vicar Robin Small. “This ministry was very important to the people of St. Mark’s and those who attended the meals. More than missing the hot meals that were served, people have missed the chance to come together with friends to share stories and pray for each other.”
Throughout the pandemic, those at the church involved in the meal ministry have looked for new ways to extend Christian hospitality and engage the community beyond the walls of St. Mark’s. Recently, the planning committee gathered for a “practice” meal.
Barb and Roger Sergent, members of St. Mark’s, attended the meal.
“This is where I want my husband and I to choose to eat dinner on Wednesday nights. We can pay it forward for someone else to have a hot delicious meal and we can support the community,” Barb Sergent said.
“People are craving relationship,” said Cassie Mugler, Next Gen director at the church. “If you think about it, mealtime is where relationships happen. Around food, good friendships can be formed. That’s creating community.”
Vicar Robin and Mugler, along with the planning committee, decided to reach out to restaurant owners and food providers in the community to see if they would like to be part of the relaunch, too. The response has been positive. The restaurant owners who have signed on to be part of the weekly community meal are excited about a chance to share good food with the community and even experiment with some dishes that are different than the fare on their menus.
The meal on Feb. 2 will be prepared by Call of the Canyon.
The planning committee is inviting musicians who would like to use the stage to perform during the evening meals to contact Mugler. Restaurants and individuals who would like to be part of the program should call the church office at 419-353-9305. Check the church’s Facebook page (stmarksbg) for weekly updates on weekly menus and musical artists.
The community meals will be held each Wednesday until the middle of May. Doors open at 4:30 p.m. and dinner is served from 5:15-6 p.m. or until there are no more meals. Diners may arrive any time before 6 p.m. There is no charge for the meal, but donations are accepted in order to support the ministry.
