Do you give FREE Food on Potlucks?

[evangelist6589]

Some churches charge a fee for a potluck and others do not. Why do some charge and others do not? Greed? Support for missions & teen ministries? To support their CCM worship centers? Or what? In my experience its been SBC churches, Calvary Chapel's, Foursquare, and the like that have charged for food on a church potluck, while the IFB churches, and Bible churches have free food. What is your take on potlucks? FREE food or charge for food? Having FREE Potlucks means open fellowship with everyone, but charging a fee may not mean that.

 

[JohnnyReb]

We had one today at our small country church. Everyone that could brought some food and everyone ate for free.

Personally I prefere fellowship to be about giving and love for one another. Charging to eat could mean someone would be left out due to lack of funds. I just prefere to keep money out of fellowship meals and feed all who hunger

 

[Winman]

Some churches charge a fee for a potluck and others do not. Why do some charge and others do not? Greed? Support for missions & teen ministries? To support their CCM worship centers? Or what? In my experience its been SBC churches, Calvary Chapel's, Foursquare, and the like that have charged for food on a church potluck, while the IFB churches, and Bible churches have free food. What is your take on potlucks? FREE food or charge for food? Having FREE Potlucks means open fellowship with everyone, but charging a fee may not mean that.

I don't quite understand your question. A "potluck" by definition is a meal where everyone who attends is expected to contribute to the meal.

A potluck is a gathering of people where each person or group of people may contribute a dish of food prepared by the person or the group of people, to be shared among the group.

You don't necessarily have to contribute a dish, you can bring soda, or pastries, or even cups, paper plates, plastic utensils, etc...

Personally, I think potlucks are a pretty good deal. It is no more expensive than what you would personally pay for a meal, but you get far more variety, plus great fellowship.

 

[Salty]

I doubt I would attend a "potluck" if there was a charge.

But in the OP - have you asked why there is a charge?

 

[JohnnyReb]

Here's some scripture to help answer the question

1 Corinthians 11:34
King James Version (KJV)
34 And if any man hunger, let him eat at home; that ye come not together unto condemnation. And the rest will I set in order when I come.

Of course a free meal at church means nobody goes hungry :thumbsup:

 

[Herald]

I think it depends on what the potluck is for an whether it truly is a pot luck. I am not big on church fundraisers, but perhaps that is sometimes the purpose. When our church breaks bread there is no cost other than that of preparing the food by the families that participate. What biblical precedent is there for dishonoring those who cannot afford to bring food?

 

[annsni]

I've never heard of charging for a pot luck. Does that mean you bring food AND money??

 

[go2church]

Who charges for a potluck? Never heard of that. Do you mean the Wednesday night meal that many churches have before bible study and prayer meeting?

We have a meal each week and have a bucket (literally a bucket) for people to contribute to the cost of the meal, but it isn't a potluck asthe entire meal is prepared for you and no one monitors the bucket to make sure you paid. We actively tell people that they can eat even if they don't pay. We view it as a ministry and budget accordingly knowing we won't break even.

We charge $3 person up to $10 per family. A super deal if you ask me.

 

[Gib]

Every 5th Sunday we have a fellowship that includes a meal. We invite folks to bring a covered dish. We usually get casseroles, veggies, and desserts brought. The church provides the meat, bread and drinks. These meals are provided at no charge to the goers.

Every 1st Thursday, we have a community senior adult luncheon. These are top notch meals that are prepared by our kitchen committee. There is a $3 fee to cover the cost of food. It's not potluck.

 

[IdahoSpudster]

If I may I'd like to give my perspective. Only a few years ago I was a homeless heroin addict. I had been high for days and hadn't eaten. At the community bulletin board there was a flier for a free potluck open to the public. So I went. Needle tracks up my arms, open sores, glassy eyed, hadn't showered in weeks, wearing filthy rags. At that potluck I was shown love and respect I didn't deserve. At that potluck I started my journey to salvation, kicking the habit, and living a normal life. If that potluck hadn't been free and open to the public it's nearly certain I would have become a statistic. Just another junkie dead from an overdose. Now, if you charge for your potlucks and don't make them open to the public how could you expect to save someone like me? Would you have turned me away? Would you have given me a plate to eat outside and ignored me? Just something to think about. It's because of my experiences that I do my best to reach the bottom of society. About the only time I spoke up in my new church was to ask the potlucks be open to the public, and I print the fliers out of my own pocket. Post them myself too. We get a hungry person now and then. Hungry physically, and hungry spiritually.

 

[Winman]

If I may I'd like to give my perspective. Only a few years ago I was a homeless heroin addict. I had been high for days and hadn't eaten. At the community bulletin board there was a flier for a free potluck open to the public. So I went. Needle tracks up my arms, open sores, glassy eyed, hadn't showered in weeks, wearing filthy rags. At that potluck I was shown love and respect I didn't deserve. At that potluck I started my journey to salvation, kicking the habit, and living a normal life. If that potluck hadn't been free and open to the public it's nearly certain I would have become a statistic. Just another junkie dead from an overdose. Now, if you charge for your potlucks and don't make them open to the public how could you expect to save someone like me? Would you have turned me away? Would you have given me a plate to eat outside and ignored me? Just something to think about. It's because of my experiences that I do my best to reach the bottom of society. About the only time I spoke up in my new church was to ask the potlucks be open to the public, and I print the fliers out of my own pocket. Post them myself too. We get a hungry person now and then. Hungry physically, and hungry spiritually.

I hope I haven't given the wrong impression, no one is ever turned away from potluck meals at our church, all are welcome to come freely. And in fact, we have had visitors many times, and folks who could not afford to contribute.

That said, those folks who can contribute should. What would happen if everyone choose to let others bring food? No food.

 

[JohnnyReb]

If I may I'd like to give my perspective. Only a few years ago I was a homeless heroin addict. I had been high for days and hadn't eaten. At the community bulletin board there was a flier for a free potluck open to the public. So I went. Needle tracks up my arms, open sores, glassy eyed, hadn't showered in weeks, wearing filthy rags. At that potluck I was shown love and respect I didn't deserve. At that potluck I started my journey to salvation, kicking the habit, and living a normal life. If that potluck hadn't been free and open to the public it's nearly certain I would have become a statistic. Just another junkie dead from an overdose. Now, if you charge for your potlucks and don't make them open to the public how could you expect to save someone like me? Would you have turned me away? Would you have given me a plate to eat outside and ignored me? Just something to think about. It's because of my experiences that I do my best to reach the bottom of society. About the only time I spoke up in my new church was to ask the potlucks be open to the public, and I print the fliers out of my own pocket. Post them myself too. We get a hungry person now and then. Hungry physically, and hungry spiritually.

:thumbs::thumbs::thumbs::thumbs:

 

[Tom Bryant]

Some churches charge a fee for a potluck and others do not. Why do some charge and others do not? Greed? Support for missions & teen ministries? To support their CCM worship centers? Or what? In my experience its been SBC churches, Calvary Chapel's, Foursquare, and the like that have charged for food on a church potluck, while the IFB churches, and Bible churches have free food. What is your take on potlucks? FREE food or charge for food? Having FREE Potlucks means open fellowship with everyone, but charging a fee may not mean that.

Been around churches for almost all of my 62 years, been in full time ministry for over 30 years, served in SBC churches for 20 years and never heard until this thread that anyone charged for a pot luck. Maybe you are thinking of a spaghetti supper to raise money to send kids to camp.

 

[evangelist6589]

We had one today at our small country church. Everyone that could brought some food and everyone ate for free.

Personally I prefere fellowship to be about giving and love for one another. Charging to eat could mean someone would be left out due to lack of funds. I just prefere to keep money out of fellowship meals and feed all who hunger

You too? I agree with you. The SBC churches in SC that I attended that charged a fee would try and argue that they used potlucks to support their missions programs and the like. But I found it foolish reasoning, as God helps plenty of other churches do missions that offer free potlucks.

 

[evangelist6589]

I don't quite understand your question. A "potluck" by definition is a meal where everyone who attends is expected to contribute to the meal.



You don't necessarily have to contribute a dish, you can bring soda, or pastries, or even cups, paper plates, plastic utensils, etc...

Personally, I think potlucks are a pretty good deal. It is no more expensive than what you would personally pay for a meal, but you get far more variety, plus great fellowship.

Contribute with a dish yes, but I visited SBC churches that charged a fee to be there!

 

[evangelist6589]

I doubt I would attend a "potluck" if there was a charge.

But in the OP - have you asked why there is a charge?

The SBC churches in SC that I visited that charged a fee I did ask, and they said they used them to support their teens programs or the like.

 

[evangelist6589]

Here's some scripture to help answer the question

1 Corinthians 11:34
King James Version (KJV)
34 And if any man hunger, let him eat at home; that ye come not together unto condemnation. And the rest will I set in order when I come.

Of course a free meal at church means nobody goes hungry :thumbsup:

CONTEXT

1 Cor 11:33-34 (NIV)
So then, my brothers and sisters, when you gather to eat, you should all eat together. 34 Anyone who is hungry should eat something at home, so that when you meet together it may not result in judgment.
And when I come I will give further directions.

The context seems to be regarding the Lords Supper and not a fellowship meal.

 

[evangelist6589]

I've never heard of charging for a pot luck. Does that mean you bring food AND money??

I have been in several that did. It meant that you had to pay $5.00 to eat.

 

[evangelist6589]

Who charges for a potluck? Never heard of that. Do you mean the Wednesday night meal that many churches have before bible study and prayer meeting?

We have a meal each week and have a bucket (literally a bucket) for people to contribute to the cost of the meal, but it isn't a potluck asthe entire meal is prepared for you and no one monitors the bucket to make sure you paid. We actively tell people that they can eat even if they don't pay. We view it as a ministry and budget accordingly knowing we won't break even.

We charge $3 person up to $10 per family. A super deal if you ask me.

Volunteer charging is not the same. I have been in churches that charged for the meal on wednesdays and or sundays to eat. You could not be there if you did not pay.

 

[Amy.G]

I've never heard of charging for a potluck. And certainly visitors are never required or asked to bring anything!