On Thursday (31 May 2012) and Thursday (7 June 2012), please join us at The Highland Center (520 Olive Street — Corner of Olive and Highland) at 6:00 PM to work with us for the Highland Blessing Dinner.
If you are volunteering, please be there no later than 5:15 PM.
For those who may not have heard, a partnership of eight congregations is working together to feed people every Thursday evening. All Souls’ first Highland Blessing Dinner on 3 May 2012 was a tremendous success. We will continue to work the dinner on the first Thursday of each month, in partnership with Kings Highway Christian Church.
Additionally, the partner congregations have determined to share the load when there is a fifth Sunday, hence the opportunity to work this Thursday (31 May 2012) in addition to 7 June 2012.
Want to know more about the joy of working at a Blessing Dinner?
Talk to Susan Bettinger, Sarah or Renee Boswell, Patrick Early, Michael Diaczynsky, Matt Cornett, Amanda, Eleanora or Andrew Lawrence, Virginia or Juan Villarreal, Gail Burt, John Ratcliff, Rovena Windsor, Ron Thurston or Pamela Raintree. In response to the question, “Do you want to do this regularly?” they all answered, “Just tell us when!”
The dinners are the dream of Church for the Highlands, a Baptist congregation whose home church is at the Highland Center.
Although there is no means test required and we feed all who come to the door (up to 75 people, an increase from our original goal of 50), our hope is to help those families and individuals who “fall though the cracks” of social services, and to build community with the people who come to the dinners, and with our partner congregations.
The food comes from the Food Bank, and all of the cooking is done by the cafeteria staff at the Highland Center. The organizers have determined that with the increased number of tables, about 20-24 people … 10-12 from each congregation … can run an evening’s dinner efficiently. A few more will not hurt at all. At the 3 May 2012 dinner, we had extra people show up and everyone had plenty to do!
A sign-up sheet is now in the foyer. Sign up for the job you want, then pick up a handout that describes all the jobs. Get familiar with one or two other jobs in addition to your first choice, in case the needs of the evening change.
Volunteers should be at the Highland Center no later than 5:15 PM on the evening of the meal. 5:00 PM is even better.
Volunteer responsibilities include:
- Volunteer Coordinators: Responsible for recruiting/reminding volunteers for each date, coordinating with partner church coordinator and with Food Bank and Highland Center staff to pick up food early in the week and deliver to Highland Center. Ideally, we will have 3 or 4 people to share and/or rotate this job for each dinner. Right now, Susan Bettinger and Susan Caldwell are serving as co-coordinators.
- Table Hosts: (At least 4 from our church – one per table of seven people. Min. age 16 – should have good communication and listening skills.) Table hosts will sit and eat the meal with guests, lead the blessing at their individual tables, take prayer requests (slips of paper will be available for guests to write these), and model and facilitate balanced sharing of both food and conversation.
- Table Servers: (Min. age 13) 11-16 per 11 tables, 6 – 8 from our congregation. Needed before meals for setting tables (tables and chairs will already be in place thanks to HC staff) as well as throughout the meal. Will deliver serving bowls to tables (meals will be family-style), and stay “attentive and friendly without hovering” to offer drink refills, etc. May assist in greeting guests, and should be friendly, willing and able to move quickly, both serving and clearing dishes afterward.
- Greeters: (3-4 .. 1 or 2 from our congregation. Min. age 21) Should be a dynamic person with a welcoming spirit AND comfort with rules and their enforcement. Greet guests, pass out tickets, help with maintaining order as guests wait in line, be sure outside items stay outside, etc. (We will also have help with any difficulties from Highland Center Security).
- Activities Coordinator: (3-4 for the evening, 1 or 2 from our congregation, minimum age 14) Someone to come equipped with books, chalk, bubbles, art supplies, games etc. to occupy children while waiting in line and after the meal.
- Musicians: (no set age or number) Play music during the meal.
- Off – Site Volunteers: Those not available on Thursday evening can still help volunteer coordinator with food pick-up and delivery. Sarah Boswell and Susan Bettinger are currently doing this.
