Members of East Columbus United Methodist Church are looking to feed visitors spiritually and physically in a slightly new way.
A new event will unfold at 6 p.m. Sunday during an outreach in the parking lot at the house of worship at 2439 Indiana Ave.
The effort, called Grace’s Table, is yet another manifestation on how churches are finding safe ways to minister and show God’s love amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Visitors are invited to drive in to the parking lot, enjoy a free meal delivered to their vehicle by gloved and masked volunteers, a brief prayer, a blessing and a 10-minute story — not a sermon — via an FM radio transmission.
Call it a form of church for those hoping to steer themselves in a new direction. Visitors are not required to stay for the blessing or story.
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The effort, expected to be a monthly, 30-minute activity on the second Sunday of each month, is taken from Seattle pastor Verlon Fosner, who launched what he called Dinner Church in 2004 as part of his ministry when he and his wife felt their church’s impact was sagging. The idea was to serve a meal for anyone who wanted to come by and fellowship.
The book Fosner wrote in 2017 about the experience is titled “Dinner Church: Building Bridges by Breaking Bread.”
“Of course, we’re clearly making some adaptations,” said Tom Hadley, the coordinator leading a team of about 20 volunteers from cooks to carhops.
Clearly, the local church has had to scrap plans for an indoor meal for now, though members would like for that to happen when it it considered safe. Thus, the drive-in concept emerged. Other local assemblies such as Westside Community Church and Burnsville Christian Church successfully used the drive-in concept for services as far back as March and April. Westside even held its Easter service that way, with worshippers honking their approval at a held-up sign reading “He is risen.”
East Columbus United Methodist Pastor Ann Thomas sees this idea as an alternative way to reach the spiritually and physically hungry.
“If people are spiritually seeking, a lot of those people who are younger — well, younger than 50 — may not want to step inside a church,” Thomas said. “But a lot of studies show that many of these people are sincerely seeking. And if they want to know more about Jesus, this is an opportunity for them to find out without sitting through an entire liturgy.
“So we’re just hoping that people will benefit in some way. And of course, we want to feed them too.”
The church is known for its annual block party that offers free food and more for the struggling each September. Hadley said he has noticed one thing from Jesus’ life as he reads Scripture.
“The vast majority of Jesus’ time during his earthly ministry was spent sitting with people and eating with people; and ministering to them physically and spiritually and offering them an opportunity for salvation,” Hadley said.
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What: A home-cooked, drive-in meal brought to visitors’ vehicle in the parking lot (and enough meals for each passenger) plus a brief prayer and story via FM radio transmission.
When: 6 p.m. on the second Sunday of each month.
Where: East Columbus United Methodist Church, 2439 Indiana Ave. in Columbus.
Cost: Free.
Information: eastcolumbusumc.org or the Facebook page for East Columbus United Methodist Church.
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