Show me the tribute money.
And they brought unto him a penny
Matthew 22.19

A Penny a Meal

When I was a child, our family participated in the "penny a meal" program of the then-named Lutheran Church in America. We had a small bank, in the form of a white wooden church with a steeple, that resided in the middle of our table. Each night, after we said grace, one of us put the penny for dinner in the bank. I think on Saturday and Sunday we put in extra, so that it amounted to 10 cents per week, which we proudly put in the offering plate on Sunday morning. Many families gave less, few contributed more, but no one ever knew who gave how much. Fifty families, each contributing a small amount, could help another family get through the week by buying frugally.

Today, 10 cents per week means very little toward the purchase of food. In the 1940's however, it was a fairly substantial amount. (One comparison chart indicates that a dime in 1945 would be worth almost $7 in 2008.) Bread was 8 or 9 cents a loaf, milk fifteen cents a quart, and an 11 oz box of Kellogg's corn flakes was 8 cents. Of course, minimum wage was 40 cents per hour, so a ten cent donation per week was a reasonable portion for each family. (What is the average salary for a quarter hour of work today?) Almost all families had only one working parent, no one had more than one car, kids walked to school or rode their hand-me-down bikes. A luxury item like a Hershey bar, cost a nickel; the same bar now costs at least 60 cents.

Most families in my hometown had victory gardens, where the family worked together to supplement the food from the grocery store. Some of us had chickens in the back yard, even though we were a suburban and not a rural community; and chickens recycled the scraps of food into fertilizer for our gardens. Gardens were used to help the war effort, in as much as food shortages were quite acute. By 1945, it is estimated, 40 percent of the food grown in this country was turned out on these small family plots. This allowed the big farms to feed the troops and also helped to keep rising food prices in check due to food rationing which was in effect at that time. I remember counting out red and blue tokens and tickets to see what we could buy that week; and standing on line at Sweet Clover Dairy to pick up our weekly milk supply. Because my father worked at Grumman Aircraft Corporation, he was given extra gas rationing coupons, but just about enough to car pool with two or three other men. No one had more than one car, and women carpooled to the supermarket, getting kids to school in really bad weather, and doctor appointments. And kids worked side by side in the kitchen with grown ups to prepare a meal-not from boxes, but from "real food".

Now, why am I telling you all of this? I'm sure you each have your own stories of growing up, especially those who grew up during the WW II years or before. The point, I guess, is that we all helped each other. We shared what we had, worked together in families and communities, and watched out for each other and each other's family. Now, there is much more isolation, much more "me-ism", I guess. How many of the people on your block do you know by name? When was the last time you called someone to get or give a ride to the supermarket? When was the last time your family actually did a "work project" together? We bring a couple cans of food to church on Sunday and think we've done our share to feed those in need; but when did you invite someone over for dinner last?

Wednesday night dinners at APLC are a wonderful opportunity to share a meal together, but most weeks the suppers are catered affairs, with food already prepared and brought in. I always found it more enjoyable when we had covered dish or potluck suppers where each family contributed. New recipes as well as cooking tips were shared, stories of meals from childhood. Kids were introduced to new dishes, adults could pass on stories of their own adventures with new foods. One of the best dinners we ever had took place one Sunday many years ago. As we stood around talking at coffee hour, kids were asking what they were going to do that afternoon, and what was for dinner. Almost universally, the mom's answer was "leftovers", followed by groans from both kids and husbands. So it was decided that each of us would bring our leftovers to the church at 6 pm, Someone put on a pot of coffee and there was milk or lemonade for the kids. Everyone finished everyone else's leftovers, and everyone went home happy to have had something different, with the companionship at the table and in the kitchen.

We have several editions of an Abiding Presence Cookbook. Why not have a Wednesday night dinner where everyone prepares a recipe from the cookbook? Or take turns preparing the supper at the church with the kids all helping? There are simple as well as more complex dishes. We have an opportunity to make a difference in the lives of others by offering new food experiences within our own congregation. We have the opportunity to fill the needs of others by providing items for food pantries. We are a community of God - let us work together and use our time as well as our talents.

Lord God, we thank you for all the good things you provide, and we pray for the time when people everywhere shall have the abundance they need. AMEN

Contributed by Rosemary
Sunday September 6, 2009
Liturgical Year B Week 41
Sunday Gospel Readings:
Lectionary 23 (Proper 18)
Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost