“The Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, ‘It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables. Brothers and sisters, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word.”
Acts 6:2-4
The diaconate’s ministry of compassion reflects the love of Jesus and dates back to the beginning of the Christian church. At Central, it provides financial, material and spiritual support to meet needs within the congregation and the community. The deacons minister in many ways, from taking communion to those who cannot come to church, to deciding as a body how to respond with love and wisdom to those in a short-term crisis, such as being threatened with a power cut-off or eviction.
Another way in which the deacons serve is by organizing meals for those who need relief from that responsibility due to illness, surgery or childbirth, for example. The deacons’ meal preparation ministry puts those in need of meals in touch with those who can provide them. Many of those who provide meals see it as their ministry, praying over the meals as they prepare them or visiting with a lonely person when delivering a meal.
One of the groups for whom meals were provided was the Pastoral Nominating Committee during the three-plus years of calling a pastor for Central. That was a demanding time for those serving on the committee, not least of whom was its chair, Hilary Hargis. A librarian at the Space Telescope Science Institute who, with her husband, also has two children to care for, Hilary is a busy woman. Deacon Esther Frey mentioned the meal preparation ministry to Hilary, who promptly forgot about it. When Esther showed up at the Hargis home with a meal, “it was like a miracle,” Hilary said. And as the meals came, the kids’ excitement grew, “like it was Christmas,” she said. “They would ask, ‘What are we having today?!’” For Hilary, the meals were not only a practical support for their family but a way for her to experience the congregation’s concern and care. At first, Hilary had some hesitancy. After all, she thought, isn’t the deacons’ ministry for people in dire straits? But she soon learned to open herself to the love that was being shared. And for her, the long term impact has been a willingness to accept help when it is offered.
Last year, Linda Hansell had two knee replacement surgeries that kept her from her usual household responsibilities for months at a time. While her husband Marty knows how to cook, it was difficult for him to pick up all of Linda’s tasks around the home on top of his own. For four weeks, the Hansells received two meals a week, which Linda said was “wonderful.” This gave Marty a much-needed break, and Linda often had a chance to visit with those delivering the meals. Since she wasn’t able to get out or to return to church for a while, seeing people was very encouraging. With this new perspective, she has started again to help others through meals, something she hasn’t done in a while.
Ellen Wallace, who leads the deacons in the meal ministry, assisted by Esther Frey, said that requests for and offers of meals come to the deacons in many ways, such as through the prayer chain, word-of-mouth, small groups (who often mobilize to provide meals for their members), concerned friends, or calls to the church office. If you have or know of a need, one way to notify the deacons is by filling out this form (Request a meal | Central Presbyterian Church). You can also go to the church’s website and click on the “Connect” tab at the top of the home page (between the blue bar and the photographs). On the drop-down menu, click on “Congregational Care,” which will take you to the “Care & Support” page. About halfway down that page are four buttons; click on “Request a Meal.” A deacon will call you to get details such as when and how often you need meals and any dietary requirements.
If you would like to get involved in providing meals, you can fill out this form (*Meal Preparation Team | Central Presbyterian Church). Once added to that team, you will receive an email when there is a need for meals, and you may sign up to take one or as many as you’d like. (Please note that the meal need not be home-cooked; you can purchase one.) If you have questions, you can call the church office 410-823-6145 or email the deacons directly at deacons@centralpc.org.
We may not all be pastors, elders or deacons, but, as the early Christian church recognized, we are all members of one body, each of whom has an important role to play. Is providing meals something you can do?
