Emmaus Cafe

"Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he had been made known to them in the breaking of the bread."  Luke 24:35 NRSV

Muscatine’s First Presbyterian Church is observing the 10-year anniversary of its program to do what Jesus said to do:  Feed the poor, welcome them and expect nothing in return.

The program known as the Emmaus Café feeds an average of 80 men, women and children every Sunday noon. 

The church started the program with $500 – not knowing if the program would be successful or how long it would last.

Since that time the Emmaus Café has been self-supporting through donations, gifts and memorials. 

There are 10 sets of crew chiefs that rotate on a schedule. They prepare the meal, and serve it with the help of four or more volunteers. Originally, the volunteers were all members of our church. However, other churches, youth groups, confirmation classes, and various community organizations have volunteered to help. 

Some of the people attending are from the homeless family shelter located in a former YMCA building across the street. Others are low-income people trying to stretch their Social Security or welfare dollars. Some are “regulars” almost every week, and others come for a limited time while they need this assistance. All who come are treated as our guests.

Pastor David Ivie said the 10-year anniversary, is a time to celebrate not who we are and what we’re doing, but the fact that in some way God is using us to make other people’s lives better. 

(Written by FPC member Gil Dietz September 2010 as part of the 10 year celebration of the Emmaus Cafe ministry.)