For 27 years, Maple Alley Inn has been serving the homeless community of Bellingham, WA with fresh, home-made breakfasts and lunches. They currently serve 140 to 170 individuals at each of their weekly lunches on Wednesday and Thursday at Bellingham’s Faith Lutheran Church, and 70 individuals at their Tuesday morning breakfast at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Bellingham. When it came time to renovate Maple Alley Inn’s kitchen at Faith Lutheran, the meal program needed temporary housing throughout January and February. That’s where the people of St. Paul, Bellingham stepped in.
Realizing that 140 to 170 people would miss a dependable, hot meal for nearly two months, the parishioners of St. Paul responded immediately to this urgent community need and made certain there was no gap in service. St. Paul provided Maple Alley Inn with the necessary kitchen and dining spaces to serve the area’s homeless community, rearranging meeting spaces and prayer groups to accommodate the sudden influx of people. The Alms and Reception Ministries of St. Paul sprang into action, adding volunteer hours to make sure Maple Alley Inn’s guests felt warmly welcomed.
Thanks to the vision of the late Fr. John Gibbs, St. Paul, Bellingham is outfitted with a large, commercial kitchen, as well as a spacious and inviting Great Hall. The congregation has historically responded with generosity every time a need is brought before them, especially is response to the needs of those who are hungry or homeless within the greater community. The Vestry and Facilities Planning Committee have worked overtime to ensure the smooth integration of Maple Alley Inn activities into the life of the church. This combination of available facilities and a willingness put in the extra effort has allowed St. Paul to welcome hundreds of additional people onto their campus for the weekly meals.
Even though this has created additional work and effort, time commitment and coordination, the people of St. Paul have welcomed this test of their strength and mission, this call to be Christ in their community. Doing this work together has increased their sense of community and a gratitude that they are able to share their own abundance with the greater community.
