Saturday

 Today I could call simple.  Nothing complicated.  Easy Peasy.  Add any other words that comes to your mind to explain what I'm trying to explain... My brain has been empties. 

Today was Soup Kitchen or Bread and Bowl day. Call it what you want! I don't know why I use those words to identify this mission to the community today because soup has been gone for a long time.  Titles just stick at North for many unknown reasons.  The parlor in my mind is the parlor except it's been renamed the Gathering Place.  Fellowship Hall probably has had that name since 1931.  Thank goodness.  The game room at one time had a shuffleboard on the floor.  That's been long gone but the name still is the same.  I could go on and on adding the Pie room where no pies have been for at least 60 years. Many of us know where all these rooms can be found, regardless. 

We were busy with a lot of good workers, but our crowd could have been bigger. It might have happened that way because it's the first weekend of cold weather.  Very few of our visitors are homeless.  We hope to stretch what little money they have just a bit farther. Preparation was done early, and Heidi and I took the work crew on a field trip to the Gathering Place or the old parlor to see the new nativity done by Patience Brewster.  They really appreciated the trip.  All the old crew kids behaved, and this retired teacher promised to take them on more trips.  I didn't say when.  I'm smarter 

 

Wouldn't you say we have fun at Bread and Bowl every other Saturday.  Sylvia is a perfect model. We cook about 5 % of the food and serve the other 95 % that has been prepared and donated by other organizations.  Easier for us for sure.  Indianapolis makes that happen through Second Helpings and a generous Kroger Store on the west side of town. So, if you are a North person, think about joining us. We attempt to make a difference. 

After we had discussed the Brewster nativity set through and through, we did a bit of decorating windowsill ledges and then headed back to the community room to serve lunch.

11:00 and we opened the door with a long line of folks but by 11:15 the line disappeared and that's pretty much how it stayed with just a few exceptions.  But we have a warm, well-lit and inviting place to eat, and folks really do need and enjoy that.  It took a while to get all the cleanup finished and I was on the way home by 12:45. Guessing who will come to dinner never has been a strong point of this ministry. We just serve whoever comes through the door, young or old, rich or poor, tall or short.  

There are always dishes to do.  James grabbed the job this morning.  Sarah Ellen and Dino are working the line filling a plate with the Second Helpings offering of the day as well as mixed vegetables. Pie is added for desert today.  Two carry out meals along with loaves of bread are available for anyone needing them.  We prepare 54 carry outs on each of the three days we serve.  Two other churches in the area take care of days we are closed.  

The afternoon was filled with the Indiana Ohio State football game.  Indiana didn't do so well.  I channel shopped trying to calm my nerves also using food as an option but neither worked very well.  It's been more years that I can say that I U's basketball team has out done the football team.  Even our eating guests mentioned that. 

There was time for more football watching.  I read more about cancer through the Cancer Code by Dr. Jason Fung.  Today at church a good friend who is a professor at Prinston University leading the Etymology Department, a writer and illustrator of many books about bugs, ants and parasites shared some interesting cancer information, affirming things I had read about and sharing new facts. One being that there are many cells with breast cancer features found in elephants, but they never develop breast cancer. Now who would have thought!!!!  He mentioned another book for reading, the same book my church friend Kathy told me about.  I am anxiously waiting to get The Emperor of All Maladies by Mukherjee. from the library. I learned more about this author just by using Wikipedia on my iPhone.

So, it's evening and another day has escaped.  I hope somehow, I have made a positive contribution. Tomorrow is church day with special gospel music throughout the service.  It will be grand. After the second service nativities will appear before your very eyes.  How exciting to see old friends.