Tacos, Service and Ecumenism

The largest food ministry in Lubbock is a place called St. Benedict’s Chapel. They serve meals every night of the week to a community that is deeply in need and hungry. Often, they serve 300-500 meals each day. The model for the ministry has always been an ecumenical effort, and each night of the week is hosted by a church or another group devoted to service. This is a staple ministry in Lubbock and has the added benefit of being a shared ministry. 

For the last four years we have hosted a fundraiser for St. Benedict’s Chapel called the “Street Taco Showdown.” The teams that serve at St. Benedict’s try their hands at making signature tacos. We have live music playing in the courtyard and guests from around the city all feasting together. The event has always been meant as a love letter to a shared ministry and the sharing of food that unites us. 

In a lot of ways, we happily stumbled into the opportunity to host the street taco event. It was helpful that we serve at St. Benedict’s and that the former president of St. Benedict’s board is a parishioner, but it has felt like such a blessed opportunity to feed the churches that are devoted to feeding others. Shared ministry is a beautiful thing, and caring for the sharers adds all the toppings and flavors and spices of life to Christ’s one, holy, and catholic table.