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Dear Second Sunday Folk

It’s hard to get your arms around “Second Sunday.” Most of us have a specific job to do with a narrow focus; set the table, warm the bread, dollop the cranberry sauce. We bag bananas or dental packs or take-out dinners and sometimes sing a song or share  a friendly smile to lift spirits. 

I get a bigger, broader picture than most  of our joint “Second Sunday Oasis Dinner at Plymouth with Partners from St. Mark’s” which is the long name that passes through my mind when I say “Second Sunday.”  (It doesn’t even include a mention of Align Minnesota who coordinates all the downtown Sunday Dinners at various congregations.)

But as stories come back to me at the end of the night and in the following days and weeks I’m amazed at just how far “Second Sunday” penetrates into people’s lives and what wonderful details emerge.

Zola tells me about guests raving about the food saying “this is the best meal so far.”  Dara mentions a guest wanting to finish all six verses of a Christmas carol before being called for dinner,  in the same breath she mentions a man struggling with the experience of homelessness. “In 38 years I’ve never been homeless,”  he confides.  “We all need help sometimes.” She lets him know.

Wren and Everett and Misha and Greta come to me at  the end of the night  “Grandpa, can we take home some of the pastries now.”  She asks.  And after a couple of hours of watching their generous hosting it is wonderful to see them delighted in a small, leftover, gift.

Christie emails me that the giant container and cart carrying personal care items is back at FUS and waiting for Karen to refill it with tiny bottles of shampoo and conditioner, hand-poured and labeled from giant donated ones. An email from Pat asks if the handmade hats have made it into the line up.  Lizz stops by to button-hole me and find Kent who she wants to introduce to our latest “fill-a-need” recipient, so he can connect with her ( and the item) at “Third Sunday.” Lizz has organized the girl scouts to manufacture dental packs and they are proudly presented and gratefully received this month.

Drisana and Ian copy me on their volunteer recruitment email from St. Mark’s and I get to meet Rob, and William, and entire Men’s Group and members of their GLBTQ alliance who wash dishes, pour chili or mash bananas (for future banana bread) while chatting about life. Shalva, from Temple Israel shows up early to mix onions, apples, sugar and Balsamic vinegar together in huge pans for “Christmas” cabbage.  When I apologize for all the Christmas elements this time around she says, “It’s okay, I can love Christmas too.” 

Before I go, Zola mentions that a couple of our Junior Social Justice reporters have shown up from her Ethical Explorer program. The photos they’ve taken could help us all get our arms around an event that penetrates so far into so many lives. Thanks for letting it into yours.

Sincerely,
Dave Leussler
FUS Kitchen Ministry 

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