Good Works: Free Lunch | Video

Alan Miller | 2/1/2013

Many churches place a lot of importance on feeding the hungry. It doesn`t always have to do with fending off starvation. In some cases, it`s simply a hospitable thing to do. And few people respond to food more heartily than teenagers do.

Whether it`s a social gathering or a funeral, churches know all about preparing food for large crowds. Every Wednesday, First Lutheran prepares for a slew of visitors from across the street. About 300 students from Bismarck High School come over for what`s called Lunch at First.

"I like seeing all the kids. And they`re so unbelievably polite, it`s just unreal. They say thank you all the way down the line," said Lisa Dewey with Lunch at First.

Members of five Lutheran congregations take turns supplying the food and serving the masses. It began as a way to invite teenagers to step inside a church. Initially, students may have been a little apprehensive about the invitation.

"What`s the catch? And they sent a few over here. And now they know there`s no catch, that we just like kids and we want to show them the love of Jesus here," said First Lutheran Pastor Allen Wagner.

Each student has a chance to be fed spiritually as well. Each week, there`s a Bible quiz, and those with the correct answer go into a drawing to win a prize, such as a gift card.

The program is now in its ninth year, and it`s become a can`t miss opportunity.

"The social aspects that it brings for everyone. It`s really fun just to see all your friends come together for just a generous event," said Paul Nagel from Bismarck High.

"It`s free lunch and there`s a lot of, like, people here to talk to. And it`s just generally a good place to be, you know, a good environment," said Ivy Bergstrom from Bismarck High.

And there`s another plus to the free lunch. You can go back for seconds.

Lunch at First even has a Facebook page, so students can check out the menu ahead of time.

If you would like us to highlight a person or organization that`s doing good for others, call me at 701-255-8184 or send me an email at amiller@kfyrtv.com, or on Facebook, because those people probably won`t notify us on their own.

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