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Sunday lunch
Sharing a meal together has long been important to Bloomsbury family life. Our service of food is part of our service to people and to each other.
Sunday lunch was well established even before the opening of the Friendship Centre, with its then state-of-the-art kitchen, in 1967.
Lunch is usually a traditional three course roast meal and is prepared by a team of volunteers. Helping with Sunday lunch is often a way in which newcomers settle into life at Bloomsbury.
In many families, news of what individuals are doing and some of their more "individual" characteristics are shared at mealtime. The Bloomsbury family is no exception.
There are plenty of stories to tell...
> The well-built singing deacon who would amble into the kitchen as a reminder to the cooks that lunch should be ready. No one dared to disappoint him.
> The singing and laughter that accompanied washing-up before the advent of the dishwasher.
> The lovely lady who cut "all that string" off the netted chicken joints, believing it would make cooking easier.
> The vegetarian who always ate roast potatoes and gravy.
> The lady who could contort her face to resemble endless different folk. If you are old enough to remember him, she did an excellent Les Dawson.
> Grace being offered by Richard Bowers (a different one each week) from his collection gathered from visitors and friends around the world.
Some of those eating lunch have attended our morning worship; some have been in other churches; some have just come for lunch.
Over the years we have shared lunch with many people who could not afford the price of a ticket. We serve about 70-80 people each week, and of those 24 free places are reserved. They are usually taken by people who are living on the street or in hostel accommodation, and many of them are regulars, well established members of the family.
Whether our diners are visitors from New York, families from suburbia or folk living by their wits, we all sit side by side at the same lunch table.
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Lunch is served at 1 o'clock every Sunday, in the Friendship
Centre. Tickets can be purchased there after the morning service
and cost £4.50, £3.50 (concessions), and £1.50
for children. A vegetarian option is available on request. |
