A few weeks ago, I was following up on a friend who had told me she was feeling down, with the desire to cheer her up. I wanted to let her know that she was in my thoughts and prayers and was dearly loved as member of our church family. Since she was very reluctant to meet, I thought it would be nice to bake a banana bread for her and leave it at her front door.
When church services moved online, the fine thread that held our congregation’s fragile fellowship together started to weaken. As members started to drift away, feeling disconnected and isolated, the COVID-19 pandemic made one thing clear: meeting only on Sunday each week for a service and Bible study is not enough to foster genuine fellowship. It made me wonder whether the situation could have turned out differently if we had invested more energy in meeting regularly.
Spurred by these thoughts, our family decided to start baking banana bread each weekend to distribute to church members. When delivering these batches, we stand at the front door for a quick chat or are invited in for long (or very long!) discussions over many cups of coffee. (You adapt to each household’s needs!)
So far, we have visited twelve households, spanning from Kellyville to Lidcombe to Naremburn. God willing, our aim is to travel to Gosford and Terrigal as the last stop!
With each delivery of banana bread, it is so rewarding to see our brothers and sisters be so genuinely touched and moved by what is a very small and easy act of service. As we have talked and laughed face-to-face for the first time in many months, we have felt that spark of meaningful connection and fellowship rekindle. In those moments of encouraging one another, we really have felt overwhelmed by God’s grace and love – especially when families have sent us photos of their afternoon teas with the children over banana bread.
We hope to continue this baking ministry to facilitate deeper fellowship with all our church members. In what are very trying times, we seek to share the message of God’s love, sacrifice and care – one banana bread at a time. After all, we are all part of God’s family.
