Soup, Buns, and Stories That Inspire
On a recent Sunday evening the warm smell of homemade soup and freshly baked buns filled the fellowship hall at Ingersoll (Ont.) Christian Reformed Church. Bringing people together over food and powerful stories has become a cherished tradition at Ingersoll CRC. Twice a year, the church invites charities they support to join them for an evening, to share about their work in ministry.
Adrian Jacobs, senior leader for Indigenous justice and reconciliation for the Christian Reformed Church in North America, was invited for an evening of storytelling and sharing about the Indigenous Ministries of the CRCNA.
This wasn’t the first time Jacobs had connected with the church. In 2008 he went to speak in Ingersoll about a local land claim conflict that was happening in nearby Caledonia, Ont., between the Six Nations of the Grand River Indigenous people and a housing development being built on disputed land.
“John and Yetty Joose were my hosts then,” he recalled. “It was really nice to reconnect with them again this year.”
During his Sunday-evening visit, Jacobs shared about the rich teachings of the wampum belts from the Oneida of the Thames, a community located near Ingersoll. His presentation also highlighted the many ways the CRC is engaging in Indigenous ministry across Canada: from community ministries like the Indigenous Family Centre in Winnipeg, Man., and the Edmonton (Alta.) Native Healing Centre, to initiatives like Hearts Exchanged and On-the-Land Learning Events, which are helping CRC members walk the path of reconciliation.
“These soup and buns events are meant to be informative and encouraging for participants,” said Rachel Budd, a deacon at Ingersoll CRC. “We invite speakers from charitable organizations to share about the good work they’re doing in the community, and we welcome church members—from our congregation and neighboring churches—as well as anyone from the broader community to attend.”
The informal setting of a Sunday-evening meal helps to create a welcoming space for learning and conversation, said Budd. “It’s a simple thing—just soup and buns,” she added, “but it leads to meaningful connections and deepens our understanding of what God is doing in our communities.”
Approximately 50 people attended the evening meal with Jacobs. The church hopes to continue hosting events like this in the coming months, to engage people in other relevant, real-world issues through the lens of faith.
