Trinity UMC member took directive of making a difference to heart

By LINDA M. LINONIS

religion@vindy.com

Youngstown

Mary Jayne Brown sees the Good Shepherd Kitchen as a means to reach beyond the towering edifice of Trinity United Methodist Church to help people. The ministry, she said, is “redefining us as a church.”

Brown coordinates the free lunches offered from noon to 2 p.m. the second and fourth Saturdays of the month at the downtown church, 30 W. Front St. The first lunch was April 9, and attendance since then has fluctuated between 85 to 110. “We get more people at the end of the month,” Brown said.

The ministry is as personal for Brown as it is a pastoral effort for the congregation. She retired in June 2010 as a guidance counselor in Youngstown School District after 30-plus years. Brown said she prayed about “what was the next step.” God keeps you busy. ... it’s about what He wanted me to do, not what I wanted to do,” she said.

It’s often said God works in mysterious ways, but in this case, it was obvious. Brown said Trinity members have volunteered at the Red Door Cafe, a Sunday meal program at St. John’s Episcopal Church and hosted the meal at Trinity a couple times. “That’s it — it just came to me,” Brown said. “This is what we need to do.”

She noted that most food programs for those in need are available weekdays, so offering lunch on two Saturdays would fill a gap. Downtown neighbor St. Vincent de Paul soup kitchen provides a breakfast on Saturdays and weekday meals. “We looked at what was offered and when,” Brown said of the decision to sponsor the weekend project.

Brown said she took the UMC mission to heart about “reaching out to help the poor and trying to make a difference.”

“It’s up to each person to be the hands and feet of Christ,” said the 40-year-plus church member. “This is what we need to do to fulfill Christ’s call.” But, she added, the lunch isn’t only for those in need. “If you work or live downtown, come,” she urged. “Our objective is to be an integral part of the neighborhood, not just a downtown building.” Brown said she lives in Poland but is committed to the city church. “This is my church family,” she said.

The lunches provide more than a meal like sloppy joes and corn on the cob, grilled hot dogs and baked beans, and taco salads along with raw vegetables, fruit and dessert. Fellowship and a message are served on the side. Though the lunches are from noon to 2 p.m., Brown said guests are welcome to come early to play board games or sit and talk while having a cup of coffee.

Though lunch guests are served a sit-down meal, they may be drafted to help set tables if they come early or clean up if they linger. “Food is important, but contact with people is more so,” Brown said. She said she encouraged volunteers, who are from the church and community, to “sit and talk and get to know folks.”

“The first time you come, you’re a guest. The second time, you’re family,” Brown said of how she encourages volunteers to treat those attending.“It’s about building relationships.”

Brown said there are about 15 volunteers per team, each covering one of the two Saturdays when lunch is served. She encouraged community residents and youth groups looking for a volunteer avenue to consider this project.

Donations, combined with Brown’s bargain-hunting grocery shopping, make the project possible. She added the lunches provide a vehicle for businesspeople to be involved in a downtown project. “This will help develop a sense of community and develop camaraderie,” Brown said.

The Rev. Stephen T. Sparling concurs with that thought. “Our desire is that these neighbors become our friends, and the friends become family,” he said.

The pastor compares the meals and message to Agape feasts of the early church. He said he offers a message once each hour of the luncheon time, using Christian-oriented DVDs and welcoming guests to the Lord’s table. “Here’s what we do — eat a little, worship a little, pray a little and love a lot,” the Rev. Mr. Sparling said. Hope, love and acceptance are often the themes of his messages.

Mr. Sparling said the luncheon meals address more than physical hunger. “People hunger physically, relationally and spiritually,” he said. “We want to feed the body and feed the soul through fellowship.”