Breaking Bread at BBQ Church in Jacksonville, Illinois
In Jacksonville, IL, individuals and families are finding community in breaking bread together at The Salvation Army’s Center of Hope, which opened earlier this year at 1124 Wall Street.
A few years ago, Major April Clarke of The Salvation Army started smoking meat as a hobby. Interested in growing their local church environment, without taking away from other church communities, Major April turned to what she knows – BBQ and Jesus.
“I wanted to create a more casual setting for people who are unchurched, where they would feel comfortable walking in,” she said. “When people break bread together, they learn a lot about each other.”
And so, BBQ Church was born. Once a month on Wednesday evenings, the Jacksonville Corps hosts a dinner and church service. To-date, they’ve held two events that drew nearly two dozen attendees each.
“We’re getting a lot of good feedback and excitement,” said Major April. “But it’s really just simple…we feed people and teach them about Jesus.”
Why Wednesday nights?
“Jesus never said church had to only be on Sunday,” Major April joked. “More and more, kids sporting events are filling up the weekend, and Wednesdays make for a nice mid-week break. We wanted to give parents the ability to take the night off from cooking and cleaning, and participate in this activity with their whole family.”
Those who attend BBQ church enjoy a delicious, warm meal. Last month was brisket, ribs, cornbread and baked beans – all cooked in the smoker. While folks are eating, a video is shared, and following dinner, everyone has the opportunity to discuss what they learned.
“We also provide a worksheet for children to complete and keep them engaged and entertained,” said Major April. “You might be sitting with your family or have the opportunity to connect with someone new, and doing so in this casual setting can be really powerful.”
The evening closes with a short devotional message and dessert, of course.
“We’re finding that people who haven’t previously attended church service are coming to us. They’re very open right away and are finding connection through the Word.”
BBQ church is held indoors and will continue, and in fact increase in frequency, during the winter months. Having previously served The Salvation Army in Michigan and Nebraska, Major April isn’t bothered by cooking in the cold.
The next BBQ Church program will he held Wednesday, Nov. 27, at 5:30 p.m. Smoked turkey will be served in recognition of the Thanksgiving holiday.
In the Jacksonville community, the greatest need right now is monetary donations. Last year, they served over 800,000 pounds of food to marginalized neighbors from their Shop for Yourself food pantry. But, their main source in picking up and distributing food to the community is their box truck. “It’s actually in the shop right now and we need that truck to continue to serve in the capacity we serve. It’s nearing a point of being beyond repair.”
With food insecurity reaching its highest level in 20 years, The Salvation Army in Jacksonville can’t afford to close its pantry. Join us for BBQ Church and help nourish neighbors in need by donating to the Jacksonville community.