Trinity Cookbook Recipe: Sack Lunches

Sack Lunches

By Lisa Levy

“Come to me, all you who are weary and carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls; for my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matthew 11: 28-30).

Each and every week, these are the words that invite people into worship at Chapel on the Green, Trinity’s 2:00 p.m. outdoor service and meal that centers the experiences of people who are unhoused. The clergy, volunteers, and parishioners strive to practice the radical and inclusive love of God by building a community where all are welcome, building a spiritual home for those who may not have had one for many years.

After the service, a volunteer congregation serves the meal: sometimes it is a hot meal, baked ziti, or soup or burgers, but most often, it is sack lunches. The sandwiches are simple to make: turkey and cheese, ham and cheese, or peanut butter and jelly; they are sustenance for a community of people, many of whom experience hunger or food insecurity on a daily basis.

This recipe invites the Trinity congregation into the process of making 100 or more sandwiches, with the hope that you, too, will feel called to make sack lunches for a Sunday at Chapel on the Green.

Ingredients

·      10-12 loaves of bread (white or wheat)

·      7 pounds of sliced turkey

·      7 pounds of sliced ham

·      4.5 pounds of sliced cheddar cheese

·      4 pounds of peanut butter

·      2 pounds of jelly

·      100 pieces of soft fruit (oranges, bananas, or applesauce)

·      100 bottles of water

·      100 reusable bags

·      Food prep gloves

·      5-6 people (though more hands and hearts are always welcome!)

Steps

1.     Make stations: one for turkey and cheese; one for ham and cheese; one for PB&J

2.    Lay out the bread, slice by slice

3.    Assemble sandwiches: about 50-55 turkey and cheese (this is consistently the favorite choice); 30-35 ham and cheese; and 15-20 PB&J

4.    Come to CotG to join the community in worship and prayer; stay to help serve lunch!