Maggie, that's one of the wise things about the two churches in Seattle that I mentioned. They're just two of a whole group of churches of various denominations on Capitol Hill and the surrounding area that offer a lunch program. They have it set up so they work in rotation, so that every day of the week, at one church or another (all pretty much within walking distance), the people who come can get a good, nourishing, well-prepared meal. Volunteers at each of the churches do the cooking and serving, and it's grown to the point where various food wholesalers make regular contributions of free food.

Knowing that the threat of a sermon will keep a lot of people away, all of the churches have agreed that all they are offering is a good meal. No strings attached. No sermons, no harassment.

And at the Union Gospel Mission and the Lutheran Compass Center downtown (near Pioneer Square), I think they do it the same way. Each of the places has a chapel anyone can go to, but you can have the meal and the cot whether you make use of the chapel or not. No pressure.

Pretty admirable, I think. Maybe even a bit unusual.

Don Firth