Methodists Open Hearts, Hands, Tables to the Homeless
Carrying out the historic social-action tradition of the Methodist church in America, some 100 participants of the United Methodist Church (UMC) ¡°Healthy Churches: Transforming the World¡± conferences took to the streets to share their hearts and meals with the local homeless.
The impromptu event occurred during the national conference in Houston, Texas, where some 1,300 local church and regional leaders met to learn more about creating and maintaining healthy congregations, January 28-30.
According to the United Methodist News Service, the 100 people who decided to go to a fast-food restaurant and buy some 400 meals for a group of homeless people living under an expressway overpass, were inspired to go after singing a hymn entitled, ¡°Invitation.¡± The hymn in part reads: "There are tables in our city filled with lavish food and drink. Many dine there without pity, of the homeless never think."
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After singing the song, Rev. We Hyun Chang, pastor of Wesley United Methodist Church in Concord, N.H., said he was ¡°surprised by the disparity" between the fancy hotel where the conference was and the stark surroundings under the overpass.
"I wanted to do something rather than just talk about it,¡± he said to UMNS.
Led by Chang, the group of 100 members walked to a nearby McDonald¡¯s restaurant where they spent some $2,000 to buy more than 400 meals. They then went to the streets to share their lunches.
"This is wonderful," said Foster Riley who added that he had lived in several missions and shelters before ending up under the expressway for two days. "I think it made everybody¡¯s day. It was a cloudy day. But you came and brightened up our day. It was a good day for everybody."
While distributing the lunches, the UMC members also asked the homeless to come to the hotel for dinner. According to the UMNS, 100 of them came, but the Methodists did not know who benefited the most from the experience.
"It was really wonderful to have at my table one of those honored guests who was living under the expressway," said the Rev. Robert Sathuri, pastor of Emmanuel United Methodist Church in Polo, Ill, to UMNS. "To go bring the communion bread and cup and receive communion from him, Steven, it was a fantastic, fantastic experience for my wife and I. I felt that we made room for Jesus at the table, and Jesus broke bread with us."
