On Hebrews 13:2

It was the first day back at the student feed today.  Every Wednesday, students are invited into the church for soup, bread and juice.

That's it.

No bible bashing.

No long, loud, rambling prayers.

No hymns.

Just soup.

Two flavours, lentil and tomato. 

With the possibility of second helpings if you ask.  In fact, nobody really bats an eye if you dip your Gregs sausage roll in the soup.  Nobody stops you bringing your own food.  Someone asked if there was a bowl for tips for the staff.  We thanked him, but, no, there isn't, because it's not about the money, it's about the soup.  Had this been an ordinary church event, someone would have laid out a saucer and there would have been the occasional tinkle as a few coins were placed, but we don't want to put people under pressure.  Besides the support from the congregation, someone keeps donating money to keep the soup flowing, but we don't know who they are.  And a group of students had a meeting, passed a hat afterwards and gave a donation for which we are exceptionally grateful.

We don't even ask to see student ID, and we know that some of our guests aren't students

For the people who were new this year, especially those without a church background, some will have walked away asking "where's the catch?"  And thinking that the hard sell will come next week.  It won't.  Next week there will be soup.  The lentil will remain, but the other will be at the chef's discretion.

Before lunchtime, I walked over the road to the college and handed out flyers.  Some familiar faces from last term helped explain that it's good, and that there really is such a thing as a free lunch.  I went over to the smoking area, handed out a few flyers where one student thanked me, while the girl that was standing with him took a completely different reaction.

She stated very forcefully how she hated church and wouldn't be coming over, before storming off.

Had a cartoonist drawn the situation, the first student and I would have been drawn standing there with a thought bubble rising above us, containing the three letters, "WTF?"  He was exceptionally apologetic, and told me that he was a cage fighter in his spare time, and of all the people, he would have expected that he was the one that should have had unexplained fits of rage.  And he'd never do that to a complete stranger, especially someone giving out gifts.  I told him that no apology is required, it wasn't his fault, and that he and his friend are still welcome.

Today I looked like a student.  Jeans, denim jacket.  In fact, I wouldn't have looked out of place at a Status Quo concert either.  I certainly wasn't going there waving my bible and telling the sinners to repent.  I've got to realise that mentioning even the most passing association with church can provoke anything from the cold shoulder all the way up to a  hostile reaction.  The further down this path I go, the way in which people speak to me will change.  Church has a lot of baggage attached to it.  Why would anyone want to get involved in an organisation that tells people they are all going to hell.  How can I convince you that it's not true?

The hidden catch of the student feed is that you are coming into our odd looking building and realising that we are not a complete shower of bastards.  We like people.  We want to share, and to let you know that there is always a welcome for you, be it on a Wednesday, or through the rest of the week.

If you want to find out about the God thing, ask us.  I'm sure we could give you a quick lesson, and if the five staff don't have the answer, I'm sure the minister was around somewhere. 

You're all angels.  Now enjoy your soup.