United Church of Rogers Park Community Feast/Soup Kitchen

The United Church of Rogers Park Community Feast/Soup Kitchen served it's first dinner on October 7, 1984. The inspiration and commitment to see what we could do to engage with those in our neighborhood in need, began through a small covenant group of the church. We met to learn how to journey with God not just inwardly, but also outwardly (following the model described in a book by Elizabeth O'Conner called Journey Inward, Journey Outward). The idea of doing a Soup Kitchen began with a concern expressed by one member; a desire to make use of the church's little used kitchen; a visit to a neighboring soup kitchen; and, a message from scripture for that week about Jesus feeding the 5,000 with five loaves and two fish (Matthew 14). We decided we could afford to try it for a month and see how it went. It has been a journey; one of struggling to know who would help, where the food and money would come from; finding supplies and equipment to use; and, how to deal with all the people. But the journey has also been one of many blessings. We always had something to cook, people to help and, wonderful people coming to eat. Over the years, as our equipment and kitchen began to wear out, we were also blessed to find people willing to help us improve. So, today we have a beautiful new kitchen, our guests, new lightweight tables and chairs, and MANY wonderful volunteers.