The Rev. Teresa Mithen recently reported on the first six months of St. John’s weekly free meal program, call the Peace Meal project.

We began the Peace Meal Project at a crucial time, as more and more professional and working class people have lost their jobs and suffered financial hardship. After two years of fundraising, planning, training, and inspections, the Peace Meal Project successfully launched as a weekly fellowship meal on May 2, 2009. “Peace Meals” are described as “fellowship meals” because no one who attends a Peace Meal is asked to present any documents in order to get a meal. At each weekly Peace Meal, St. John’s parishioners and Muslim refugees, struggling workers and affluent volunteers all sit and eat the same food together. Breaking bread and sharing fellowship on Saturday night is an appropriate prelude to our worship on Sundays.

Scott Splater, St. John’s parishioner, coordinates the volunteer teams from various congregations in addition to organizing the nuts and bolts of the program.

Peace Meals are a team effort, with diocesan congregations (and other community groups and faith groups) volunteering in teams or individually at the meal. To date diocesan participants have included Emmanuel, Webster Groves, Advent, Crestwood, St. Martin’s, Ellisville), and St. John’s with other congregations signed up for future dates.

Peace Meals are now averaging 45-50 guests per meal, close to their goal of 50-75 guests.

St. John’s was a recent recipient of the diocesan  New Ventures in Community Ministry Grant, which helped with kitchen, appliance, and serving equipment upgrades, and provided some funding for initial food.

Volunteer information for helping out with the Peace Meal project

• Metro II Map by convocation
• St John-TG St. John's Episcopal Church, 3664 Arsenal St., St. Louis, MO 63116, ph 314-772-3970, www.towergrovechurch.org