Yesterday was the opening ceremony for the Parktown Food Hub. Below are the comments from that opening ceremony. The names are the names of the people who said those sections - some people ad libbed, others stuck to the script. It was beautiful and the start of something that is entirely in God's hands. My hope and prayer and fervent dream is that that is where Parktown Food Hub stays forever.
<Pastor Anita>
Blessing The Threshold
By Jan Richardson
This blessing
has been waiting for you
for a long time.
While you have been
making your way here
this blessing has been
gathering itself
making ready
biding its time
praying.
This blessing has been
polishing the door
oiling the hinges
sweeping the steps
lighting candles
in the windows.
This blessing has been
setting the table
as it hums a tune
from an old song
it knows,
something about
a spiraling road
and bread
and grace.
All this time
it has kept an eye
on the horizon,
watching,
keeping vigil,
hardly aware of how
it was leaning itself
in your direction.
And now that
you are here
this blessing
can hardly believe
its good fortune
that you have finally arrived,
that it can drop everything
at last
to fling its arms wide
to you, crying
welcome
welcome
welcome.
<Lisa>WELCOME to the Parktown Food Hub!!
Today we might add to those beautiful words of Jan Richardson:
This blessing has been priming and painting walls, scrubbing floors, painting freezers, moving refrigerators, removing cabinet doors, assembling desks. This blessing has been repurposing children’s cubbies into bookshelves and shopping for large clocks. This blessing has been coming from many directions.
Today we are here at the beginning of something that is also the end of something else and a long path of people finding their ways here – of you finding your way here – to celebrate the opportunity to know and love all the people in our community. We are grateful for the volunteers and prayer partners that you will hear from next, and for the donors who gave money, supplies, and professional support for preparing this space. Major donors so far have been Triangle Pharmacy Ace Hardware for paint and supplies, RTI International for a cash, Parkwood HOA for proceeds from the SummerFest raffle, Immaculate Conception Catholic congregation for our first stocking of food and Pastor Johel Rodriguez who is also a professional painter.
<Sharon> This blessing is one of abundance! Donated paint and supplies, donated food, donated shelves. Shared scaffolding and generous gifts of time and expertise. There have been many conversations and hopes and dreams, many of which were completely independent of one another:
The day Lisa Greene and I were talking about how to use a potentially abundant funding from RTI International, we hit upon the idea of food pantry space to strengthen connections within the South Durham community
The day when Small World Day Care owner Dianne Mitchell made the difficult decision to retire, opening up space in the building and providing an abundance of space to make the hub possible.
<Bob Newlin> The years when I worked with Jan and Herb Schwarze, Brenda and Frank Stephens, and so many members of the Parkwood UMC congregation faithfully gather turkeys and stuffing mix and gravy and cranberry sauce to share with neighbors for holiday feasts.
<Pastor Anita> The day when I came to Parkwood, prepared to love and serve faithfully and work with the people in this place.
<Mike B> The day when the Parkwood UMC Administrative Board did an indepth study of their presence in the community and decided to turn their congregational face outward, towards others.
<Pastor Johel> The day when Avivamiento Latino Church started workshiping in this space, bringing joy and spirit and energy and creating a new way of doing ministry together.
<Aja> The dreaming that I (Aja Purnell-Mitchell) did with my husband Jon and colleague Sheri Starks and so many others in the community that there would be a hub in which boxes of food become a reason for connection but not the entire connection.
<Matt> The day I (Matt Babaian) enthusiastically embraced the hub by writing a proposal to Rotary International for support, bringing friends to paint, sharing his scaffolding, and always looking for ways to participate.
<Sharon> There was no one start to the Parktown Food Hub. Everyone here is a part of what this place will become in the years to come.
A space that was cleaned and painted in hundreds of person-hours over a one-week period: an abundance of helpers, too many names to mention, people who barely knew each other if they knew each other at all. The day that Pastor Anita, Lisa, and Sharon backed up Bob Newlin in scrubbing floors – sometimes on hands and knees. The days that Pastor Johel spent sharing his professional equipment and expertise to make sure that the painting could be completed in time. The daily drop-ins of Jimmy Layman, always at the right time to do the task that most needed to be done, always with a smile and a wave. The 25 community members who came from all over to put shelves together and put the food on shelves. The many more volunteers who will come be a part of this South Durham movement. The people who will be forming South Durham Connections.
This space has been given an abundance of new life, taking its place in the long line of community outreach and engagement that Parkwood UMC has offered.
<Autumn> This time, however, it goes beyond the United Methodist Church. Many of you who are present are here because the hub is an opportunity and matches your life values, without needing to be a part of Parkwood UMC. We are all one. This is a ministry of community, and Parkwood UMC is an important part of that community in graciously provided abundant support for this hub. But you can come here and be who you are. All are welcome. We are Brethren, Methodists, Lutherans, Wesleyans, Atheists, Agnostics, Baptists, Episcopalians, Muslims, Jews, Buddhists, and that largest group of all: Searching. An abundance of perspectives that together make us stronger.
<Pastor Anita> Between the walls and the paint in the hub are an abundance of blessings, many of them brought by you. Bible verses in English and Spanish, musical quotes and best wishes from Girl Scouts, poetry and prayers. All that blessing and hope and grace will always surround us, always be present in the work of the hub.
Whoever you are, we love you and we hope you keep coming back, bringing your abundant gifts and heart and thoughts to this place of community caring for community.
AND NOW – WE DECLARE THE PARKTOWN FOOD HUB OPEN! – (Ribbon Cutting here)
<Sharon>Thank you for coming today! We hope you come back often. Our first food distributions will be on August 12 and August 26 – we have flyers with all the details.
In a moment we will open the doors and you will be able to get a sneak peek of the hub. We have FAQs and people will be around to answer questions you have that are not in the FAQ page. And then… please stay and enjoy the water slide and hot dogs and other gifts offered lovingly by the people of Parkwood UMC and the staff of the Parktown Food Hub. And now, before the fun begins in earnest, please receive this rich and abundant blessing, written by Jan Richardson:
<Sharon>
And the Table Will Be Wide
A Blessing for World Communion Sunday
By Jan Richardson
And the table
will be wide.
And the welcome
will be wide.
And the arms
will open wide
to gather us in.
And our hearts
will open wide
to receive.
And we will come
as children who trust
there is enough.
And we will come
unhindered and free.
And our aching
will be met
with bread.
And our sorrow
will be met
with wine.
And we will open our hands
to the feast
without shame.
And we will turn
toward each other
without fear.
And we will give up
our appetite
for despair.
And we will taste
and know
of delight.
And we will become bread
for a hungering world.
And we will become drink
for those who thirst.
And the blessed
will become the blessing.
And everywhere
will be the feast.
Go in peace! Love each other! Look at the Parktown Food Hub and have a good time!
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