At Pittsburgh Seminary, we seek to participate in God’s ongoing mission in the world by seeing and getting to know people as our neighbors. Challenged by Jesus’ parable of the Good Samaritan and inspired by Mr. Fred Rogers ’62, who sang, “I have always wanted to have a neighbor just like you!”, I am writing this blog to introduce you to some of my neighbors, whom I want you to know. They are students in our Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.) Program, for which I am honored to serve as the director. They work with diverse populations, whom they have come to see as neighbors and care for lovingly. I hope by the end of this series, you will get to know our doctor of ministry students, their ministries, as well as see those whom they serve as siblings in Christ, as neighbors near and far.
I’d like to introduce you to my neighbor Jerry McKinney. Rev. McKinney is an ordained minister of Word and Sacrament in the Presbyterian Church (USA). He has served as the pastor of the United Church of Granville (N.Y.) for 32 years. As part of the Reformed Theology cohort in the DMin Program, Jerry has enjoyed traveling to Edinburgh, Scotland, and meeting new neighbors across the pond. – The Rev. Dr. Donna Giver-Johnston, Director of the Doctor of Ministry Program
Who Is My Neighbor? Gathering With the Least, Lost, and Left Out
The idea for Community Lunch was birthed at a session of our 2013 Advent Bible study. During one session, Irene, a recognized “saint” of the congregation, proposed a simple idea. Once a week, for six weeks during the upcoming winter, we could serve a free soup-and-sandwich lunch. She expressed her passionate concern for the members of the Granville community who needed a free meal and a place to socialize. Her idea was a Holy Spirit spark, and it caught fire among the folks present. We held our first Community Lunch Dec. 27, 2013—just two days after Christmas. Perhaps this was not the best time to start a new ministry, but then it was only supposed to last for six weeks. Five Bible study participants volunteered to staff the first lunch and provide the soup and sandwiches. Six people attended that first lunch. A dozen people showed up the second week. By the end of six weeks, with some thirty people attending, the volunteers decided that we should continue for another six weeks. Community Lunch set the congregation ablaze with a new sense of mission to our neighbors, a mission which has lasted now for nearly 11 years.
One of the ways Jesus demonstrated the width and depth of God’s love was by eating and drinking with the least, the lost, and the left out. Through Community Lunch, the United Church of Granville has deepened its understanding and commitment to serving our neighbors in the name of Christ. Through Community Lunch, we have gotten to know our neighbors, many of whom are among the least, the lost, and the left out of Granville. We have seen the impact a ministry of table fellowship can have on their lives. Through Community Lunch, we have seen neighbors become new creations. I want to share the story of one neighbor who has experienced the transforming love of Christ at Community Lunch. I will call him Art.*
I heard Art’s story from his brother Karl, who recently participated in my Doctor of Ministry project. My project, which focused on Community Lunch, asked participants to reflect on the meaning and purpose of our ministry. In one of the final discussion sessions, Karl allowed me to share Art’s story, which he had written up for my project. In 2019, Art moved in with Karl and his wife, Sara. Art’s life circumstances had become quite challenging. Karl described Art as a “victim of learned helplessness,” struggling with “some physical disabilities later in life,” “seldom leaving his recliner,” and “making no effort to help himself.” Karl and Sara worked tirelessly to help him. Eventually, Karl persuaded Art to come to Community Lunch. For several months, Art just “sat alone and didn’t go out of the way to talk with anyone.” Over time, he began to talk with other people, and he eventually became a “regular.” Now he attends even if Karl and Sara, two of our faithful volunteers, are absent. Karl’s reflection on Art’s experience at Community Lunch is touching, and I choked up as I read the concluding paragraph to the group:
As I reflect nearly five years later, I am amazed at the transformation. Not only is he pretty much self-sufficient (grocery shops, cooks, does laundry, etc.), his demeanor has changed dramatically. For several years prior to the move, he was belligerent, angry, and not pleasant to be around. He isolated himself and rarely socialized. Now, he is friendly, very talkative, asks questions, and is interested in learning new things. He now takes daily walks, sometimes several miles. He’ll stop in stores or shops that look interesting to him. Five years ago, Art and I were not close, but this move has improved our relationship. My other brothers don’t believe me when I tell them about Art. We still haven’t convinced him to get a cell phone, but we’ll keep trying.
Karl credits Community Lunch for playing a significant role in his brother’s transformation. We were all moved by Art’s story, and we agreed that Art’s story showed us how sharing the love of Christ through Community Lunch can make a difference in the lives of our neighbors.
*All of the names mentioned have been changed.
The Rev. Jerry McKinney is the pastor of the United Church of Granville (N.Y.), a congregation with both Presbyterian and United Methodist roots. The United Church is located in upstate New York, on the Vermont border, about four hours north of New York City. Rev. McKinney, an ordained Presbyterian minister, has served the congregation for 32 years. He is completing his Doctor of Ministry (Reformed Cohort) at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary.
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