February 16, 2012

Feeding Others – And Ourselves

Feeling a bit down today – the grayness of the day, pressure to write my weekly blog post – and, not wanting to resort (at least not yet) to the chocolate zucchini cake in the kitchen – I let my mind wander….

The iTunes gift card on my desk prompted a memory: The random acts of kindness inspired by Bishop Wolf of Rhode Island which I read about in the Winter 2012 issue of RISEN Magazine

“At Diocesan Convention in November Bishop Wolf gave each attendee a Stop and Shop gift card and asked them to match it and give the cards away to someone in need. She exhorted us all to give generously and joyously; to someone we meet along the way, or to ourselves if we really need it. Now, doing random acts of kindness, in person, is far beyond the comfort zone of some. But generous and loving giving at the prompt of the Holy Spirit can be a gift to your own heart as well as the recipient. It can be a powerful experience. We asked for your stories of how you gave your card away and what it felt like." 

These stories are a powerful witness. They share the anxiety related to how to decide who to give the card to – and a fear of inadvertently offending as well as consideration of the ‘safe’ option of donating the cards to an organization and letting someone else determine who would get the cards. There is frequent mention of cards lingering in the bottom of a bag, victim of good intentions not acted on.

And in each story there is the moment of grace when suddenly the anxiety and fear fall away and the opportunity for generosity presents itself. From the cards given to the 92-year old woman who continues her lifelong habit of service by offering a warm smile and a quiet hello, to the cards presented to a regular guest at the parish soup kitchen, and the cards given to the older man corralling shopping carts on a cold and windy day, each act of generosity touching the heart of the giver, allowing the Spirit to enter, bringing joy.

This gift card give-away is part of Rhode Island’s diocesan wide mission focus of “Feeding the Hungry.” Following a year of listening to parishioners and congregational leaders as they reflected and expressed their sense of what it meant to be Christian and Church in their communities and the world, and discernment, the diocese’s Mission Task Force crafted a report and resolution articulating the energy and commitment of the diocese to mission: 

"In short, we learned of the rich life of feeding and being fed throughout our diocese. There exists a broad continuum of physical and spiritual hungers both within and without the Church. The most basic needs for food, clothing, shelter, and warmth are lacking for many. Less obvious are the very real human needs for companionship, meaning, relevance, beauty, rest, love, and relationship with God.

We have come to understand that feeding the hungry is not about us and them. It is not ‘serving the less fortunate.’ Instead, it is a sharing of whatever we have in abundance with others who need some of what we have. The point is that all bring something to the table and in turn all take something away.”

How is your congregation feeding and being fed by your work with each other and your wider communities? Please share your stories here or on the ECF Vital Practices Facebook page.