Food glorious food The importance of food and

Food, glorious food. The importance of food and hospitality in people’s encounters with church, community and faith. Hannah Rich & Hannah Eves November 2019 Drawing on research from the GRA: CE project, in partnership between Theos and Church Urban Fund.

Food as central to social action According to the 2017 Church in Action Survey… 86% of Church of England churches are involved in providing lunch clubs, coffee mornings or similar initiatives of hospitality for older people. 53% are involved in community cafés. 1 in 3 think food poverty is a significant issue in their parish.

GRA: CE Project • Church growth, social action and discipleship in the Church of England. • 350 interviews across 66 case study parishes in total. • Exploring through qualitative interviews how congregations and church communities understand the connections between the three aspects. • Quantitative phase beginning Autumn 2019.

‘There’s a hunger beyond food that’s expressed in food. That’s why feeding is always a kind of miracle. ’ (Sara Miles)

DISCUSSION QUESTION #1: What role does food play in your community? What examples can you think of where it has been important in people’s faith journey?

“When we gather around the table and break bread together, that’s like our go-to image for hospitality and generosity and change and transformation. It’s something other organisations wouldn’t have. ” (Congregation member)

• ‘Though we are many, we are one body, because we all share in one bread. ’ – Based on 1 Corinthians 10: 17. • Bread is instrumental in creating community. • Companion: – com + pānis; ‘with bread’

Eating Together

‘The son of man came eating and drinking’ 'Here is a glutton and a drunkard’

Jesus’s radical eating and drinking Luke 5 27 After this, Jesus went out and saw a tax collector by the name of Levi sitting at his tax booth. “Follow me, ” Jesus said to him, 28 and Levi got up, left everything and followed him. 29 Then Levi held a great banquet for Jesus at his house, and a large crowd of tax collectors and others were eating with them. 30 But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law who belonged to their sect complained to his disciples, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners? ” 31 Jesus answered them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. 32 I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. ”

Eating together and the Early Church Acts 4 42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43 Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. 44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. 46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

DISCUSSION QUESTION #2: Can you think of examples from the Bible - or other theological resources - which show food at the centre of gatherings/teaching?

“It’s important that we charge, because if we just provide the free meals, then the community won’t come. We needed to build it up so it’s local community people who felt able to come and sit around. It’s not just shove some food at them and feed them. ” (Church community worker)

Dinner church Food as part of collective worship, not ‘afterwards’. Lunchtime service – act of worship, focussed on a meal, drawing a new congregation together. Messy Church as a similar example.

“Everything we do here is centred about food. It’s much more than hospitality; it’s forming relationships and also there’s the part of it as being able to reach out to the needs of people and invite people in, because they know that there’s food. ” (Congregation member)

DISCUSSION QUESTION #3: What one thing will you take away from today’s workshop and what might it look like to incorporate it into your parish or community life?