CHURCH THINKS BIG FOR MEAL

SMALL CONGREGATION REACHES OUT TO MAKE MARK IN NEIGHBORHOOD

On Christmas Eve morning, Pastor Robert Mays sat alone in front of
his church's piano and played a battle hymn.

Although he didn't know it was a battle hymn at the time, he knew he
was at war.

"This church is in what I call a spiritual war zone," he said. "There
are drugs, drug dealers and drug abusers all around me."

Mays was ready to take another step in his plan to win back his
community.

His small 20-member church, Shiloh Missionary Baptist, located at 734
N. 15th St. on the north side of Richmond, had planned a meal that
could serve 600 hungry local people on Christmas Eve.

And on Sunday about 50 people were scattered around the church and
its basement ready to celebrate the holiday with the meal.

Although the serving of the meal started later than scheduled, people
waited, watched the children open presents and listened to music.

By 4 p.m., volunteers were serving turkey and ham. Mays told everyone
in attendance to eat up and said his church would keep serving meals
until the food ran out.

The idea for the event came when Mays was looking for churches that
would be serving meals on Christmas Eve. He realized that not many
churches offered Christmas Eve meals and that the need in the
community was there.

"It's a small church with a big desire; big desire," Mays
said.

He also believes that you have to feed people before you can teach
them anything about faith.

"We have to take back the streets from the drug dealers; they've got
to know that somebody cares and that somebody loves them," church
board member Mildred Brown said. "God loves them; he just hates sin.

"Once they know that they are loved and we don't care how they come
back; they just need to come back into the church."

Brown said Sunday's meal was the biggest project her church has ever
undertaken.

How could a church that small provide a meal that would end up
costing thousands of dollars?

"The questions were how are we going to do it and where are we are
going to get the money from," Mays said.

Mays said he found his answers in prayer, and everything just came
together.

When he wondered where the food would come from, a local chef, who
asked to remain anonymous, came forward and volunteered to prepare
the entire meal for the church.

When he wondered if the church would have enough money, local people
stepped up. One single woman donated $200.

A few hours before the meal during mass, Mays asked his congregation,
about 15 people, how they were going to feed the hungry with so few
volunteers. Right when he asked that, a couple of volunteers walked
in.

"The nature of man is so cold-hearted sometimes," Mays said. "But
when people step up and do this it re-instills your faith in God."

Word of the meal spread in some part, thanks to Mays.

About two weeks ago, he went door to door on the north side of
Richmond talking to residents about his church and the Christmas Eve
meal it would offer.

"I was thinking maybe 100 or 150 people; now I am hearing 400 to 500
people," Mays said he told the chef a few days before the meal.

Against the odds, the small, 60-year-old church accomplished its goal
and served its meal on Sunday.

Lisa Stephens and her daughter Christie Peters ate and helped serve
the meal.

Stephens said Mays helped bring her back to the church.

"Nothing like this goes on in our neighborhood," Peters
added.

But the church's members stress that there is still more to be
done.

"The way to get this community back is to let this community know we
have to battle against the things going on around us," Mays said.

Church board member Jean Twine says the true meaning of Christmas was
wrapped up in the church's mission.

"It's about helping others," she said.

In his sermon Sunday, Mays agreed and added that Christmas is also
about love. He said that it was love that allowed God to give up his
son for the world.

And in love, the pastor sees something more. Something more that
allows a small church to fight a big battle.

"There's always hope," Mays said of his church's struggle. "There's
always hope."