The Ministry of “Grace Over Lunch” Grace Chapel AME Church

By Sister Barbara H. Laurie, MSW, 7th Episcopal District

The Grace Over Lunch ministry was initiated in 2018 by Sister Barbara H. Laurie, Lay Minister, under the leadership of the Reverend Jeannine R. Smalls, pastor of Grace Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Beaufort, South Carolina. The lunch started with a phone call from Pastor Smalls while attending the Post Conference Convocation under the leadership of Bishop Samuel L. Green Sr., Presiding Prelate of the Seventh Episcopal District. As a result of various ministry presentations at the meeting, she supported the idea that Grace Chapel needed to develop a ministry project.

What began as a conversation with a church member has evolved into the Grace Over Lunch ministry. This ministry incorporates other ministries and components of the church and encourages active participation. According to the guidelines for ministry development by Bishop Green, the theological context should respond to the practical needs of the community we are called to serve. The ministry is designed to reinforce to the members and the community who are 55 years and older (“55 Forward”) that “Living Well, Aging Well, and Serving Well” are what God requires.

In 2017, our church was relocated to Lady’s Island, one of the fastest-growing areas in Beaufort County, South Carolina. This strategic location of the Church enables it to continue its rich service history to her members and the community. This new location is divinely positioned to serve the present age.

The Grace Over Lunch Ministry offers a mid-day meal and provides opportunities for participants to learn from and share in creative theme-based presentations by local clergy and for the “55 Forward” population to gather virtually and in person to fellowship with other persons. In addition, participants can engage in planned day trips, games, and other activities and gather information on current topics that affect the “55 Forward” population.

Since the ministry began in 2018, six innovative themed sessions have been developed and shared with our church family and the community. Attendance at each lunch has averaged 40-50 persons from various ethnicities, faith groups, and other organizations. The presentations were divided into two parts. The first half of the session included a devotion led by a designated ministry team, a planned meal, and a presentation by a community provider. The second half of the session involved the clergy addressing the theme. This theme challenged participants from the audience to think of ways that the Church could address needs within our communities. The desire is for individuals to be doers of the Word.

The COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted how the Grace Over Lunch ministry functioned at Grace Chapel.  We learned to fellowship differently by using conference calls and Zoom technology. We also learned that many in the “55 Forward” population had become more comfortable using technology. The Grace Over Lunch ministry piloted our virtual session in July 2022. The success of the virtual sessions led us to offer Facebook Live as another way to participate in our sessions. The use of technology has expanded the reach of the ministry to include the ongoing fellowship (virtual and in-person) with members of the Beaufort County Port Royal Senior Center as well as families and friends living in other areas. We can now reach persons who are unable to attend in person.

Using an established format, our summer sessions (June-August) expounded upon Church School Lessons excerpts from the 2022-2023 Standard Lesson Commentary International Sunday School Lessons. The community presentations were: (a) Remembering the Emanuel 9 and Moms Demand Action for Global Gun Sense Awareness, (b) The Role of Emergency Medical Services in Our Community, and Updates on The Coronavirus (COVID).

We are grateful to God for the unmerited favor that God gives so freely, the support and participation of our pastor, ministry team members, families of the church, and community organizations. To God be the glory for the great things God has done and continues to do at Grace Chapel AME Church.

“The work is all divine!”

Grace Chapel AME Church is located at 10 Holly Hall Road, Beaufort, South Carolina 29907. The Rev. Jeannine R. Smalls is the pastor.