For more than 15 years, the heart of outreach at St. Luke’s has been guided by the commandment Jesus issues to Simon in the Gospel of John: “Feed my sheep.” The outreach began with Christ’s Community Kitchen (CCK), a once-a-month free supper that now has fed more than 1,000 hungry souls from both St. Luke’s and the greater East Greenwich community. The CCK ministry has been supported by volunteers ranging from the Boy Scouts of America to other faith communities. This ministry inspired church members to participate in additional feeding ministries.
For the past several years, entire families have turned out to help Loaves & Fishes Rhode Island feed the hungry in Woonsocket. Today individuals can also pick up lightly used and new clothing, and visit a prayer table, where our brothers and sisters in Christ might ask for a prayer to help them through struggling times.
Most recently, St. Luke’s began “Lunch on the Hill” — a free meal on Wednesdays open to anyone who’s hungry. The organizer solicited contributions from area restaurants and markets, and then invited other congregations to provide volunteer staffing on a rotating basis. Now volunteers from the secular community work with the faith-based communities, all to feed the hungry. St. Luke’s, 99 Peirce Street, East Greenwich; 401-884-4016; the Rev. Tim Rich, rector; Bishop’s visitation May 5. http://www.stlukeseg.org