The Miracle of Potlucks

I always get nervous about Potluck Dinners. Always. I always worry that there will not be enough food. I always worry that the first few people will take too much leaving nothing for the last in line. Always. After 28 years of attending church potlucks and seeing with my own two eyes that there is always enough food, I always have little faith that the portions will work out.

Oh, me of little faith...

Last night at the PYC kickoff family potluck, families arrived bringing casseroles, pasta, pizza, BBQ, salads, fruits...a HUGE spread. Even after seeing all of the food, I reminded the youth not too take too much so the last in line would have enough food to eat. Needless to say, there was more than enough food to go around. There were even leftovers for folks to take home.

Potlucks just have a way of working out. Maybe it's because each family brings a little extra to give. Maybe it's because every person takes a slightly smaller portion than they would at home. Maybe some sort of heavenly miracle takes place that we aren't aware of. Who knows? But something amazing happens when we bring what we have and share it completely with others, without reservation, without greed and with as much grace as we can muster. Whether it's fruit salad or fruits of the spirit, we usually end up with a little something to take back home with us.

After another miracle potluck dinner, the youth headed to the youth center to do a brief study of Matthew 25:31-45 including the familiar text from verses 35, 36, and 40, "for I was hungry and you gave me food; I was thirsty and you gave me drink; I was a stranger and you took me in; I was naked and you clothed me; I was sick and you visited me; I was in prison and you came to me. Inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these my Brethren, you did it to Me." The youth were asked to brainstorm ideas for a grant proposal with The Pilgrimage's SEEDs Program that would in some way help the homeless or address poverty related issues locally. They came up with amazing brainstorming ideas!

Use the $500 grant to raise more money for a larger project. Use our ASP skills to help make some repairs to our local homeless shelter. Host a benefit concert to raise more money for other homelessness projects. Donate proceeds from one night of the Dinner Theater Youth Musical to the Interfaith Council. Teach an art class or two for people who are homeless then have an art show, selling their art with the proceeds going back to the artists. Use the $500 to make sure that homeless children have Christmas gifts.

These youth are taking it seriously! We have a small team put together to help organize these ideas into what will be feasible for our group.

As I reflected on their energy to give and work and do unto the least of these, I couldn't help but wonder what would happen if we approached service projects in the same way we approach potlucks. What if each person digs deep and brings a little extra to give? What if every person takes a slightly smaller portion than they would at home? What if some sort of heavenly miracle takes place that we aren't aware of? Who knows? But something amazing happens when we bring what we have and share it completely with others, without reservation, without greed and with as much grace as we can muster. When it's fruits of the spirit we share, just like our fruit salad, we usually end up with a little something to take back home with us.

And that's a potluck I can have faith in...