Come to the Banquet

Come to the Banquet is a ministry at St. Michaels' Cathedral. It began after a grant was given to the Young Adult group atthe Cathedral, Ex Nihilo. These youngs adults get other volunteers from the parish and provide a well-catered, hot meal for the area's less fortunate. Started in May of 2009, this program continues to grow and offers more meals each month. Whatever food is left over, gets packed up and sent home with the diners. We've served Italian, Chinese, BBQ, different chicken dishes, and there are always salads and home-made desserts to compliment the main entrees.

Today, we served nearly 100 brothers and sisters, of all colors, ages, and financial backgrounds. For one family, it was the first time thay had accepted a meal from a group like this, as their financial security recently got lost. The children run around the room safely and the diners enjoy conversations with the volunteers from the church. We stay open as long as people keep walking in, and the smiles that come along with the "thank yous" are just as pleasing.

I've made it my personal goal to be the one in charge of clean up. I enjoy gathering people's plates and taking the mess out from in front of them. For so long, I've been able to sit and be waited on, and it's truly a humbling pleasure to serve others in the same way. For so many of them, they've been the ones looking at the garbage with an empty stomach, and I get to make sure their bellies are full before I take care of the dirty work. I'm grateful for groups like this that truly welcome others into their homes, even when it's a home of worship. It's a wonderful way to truly preach the message of welcoming a stranger, never knowing if you might be dining in the company of Christ himself.