Rev. Bonnie Perry came to All Saints Episcopal Church, 4550 N. Hermitage Ave., in Chicago's Ravenswood neighborhood in 1992 as its rector, and the place really wasn't cooking. There were only about 30 parishioners for Sunday service.
"One of the things I said was, maybe we should not worry about ourselves, but instead, live out the gospel, including, feeding the hungry. So we started with a food pantry," Perry said.
On Ash Wednesday 1993, the church advertised that, for that one night, they would be giving away food to anyone who needed/wanted it.
"We were really clear that there were no requirements; no one had to prove poverty. We were really clear, if you were hungry enough to stand in line for food, we were going to give you food," Perry said.
Two people came that night in 1993so the church gave away two bags of food.
And so started a new tradition at All Saints, which grown and expanded so much that, yes, without question, things now are truly cooking at All Saints, one of the largest churches in the diocese.
"What we're doing has a huge impact on the community," Perry said.
Every Tuesday, the church hosts a family-style, sit-down meal for 125 people. Food is cooked on site and served in bowls; everyone shares.
"It's kind of funny in the sanctuary, where we pray … right by the alter, there's a pile of bread or canned vegetables. Over by the baptismal font, there are potatoes," she said, laughing.
Volunteers for the Tuesday night dinner are a mix of church-goers, local residents and friends of friends. A number of volunteers also bring home bags of grocers.
"There are people [living] on this street coming to [the church to] get groceries, just like there are people who live on this street who volunteer and live in million-dollar houses. And everyone kind of hangs out together," Perry said.
The church also distributes weekly bags of grocery for the needyand often, it attracts 300 or more.
"The basic premises is, if you are hungry, we will feed you. And I think we feed people's body and spirit, not just their stomach," Perry said. "One of the things that is really very, very surprising is, only 10 or 15 percent of the people who come to [this] program are without a place to live. Most have places to live; [but] most are working poor. The majority are over age 55, often seniors on fixed incomes."
Often when they come to the church for food, they also play chess in the pews, and more. The church even offers dental exams, and more.
And twice a year, the church becomes the All Saints' Café, which actually dates back yearsfor a Sunday night sit-down dinner with high-end chefs offering their handy work of fresh food and cooking. The All Saints Café features a four-course meal, with a menu and countless, classy-looking waiters, with food served on lined table clothes.
"We're always looking for different chefs to work with us on that [event]," Perry said. "It's like one of the coolest things we do."
In addition, once a month, the church has a mobile pantry at Ravenswood Schoola free, open-air market that attracts a lot of local families, she said.
"This [overall food-driven, community outreach program] is one of the things that we've always been really, really clear about is, we never talk about the folks who come to us for dinner or groceries as a patron or a client; everyone is a neighbor," Perry said.