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A place to break bread

by BILL BULEY
Staff Writer | April 9, 2010 9:00 PM

COEUR d'ALENE - First Christian Church wants to feed the hungry. So, welcome to the "Chaplain's Table." The Rev. Lauri Clark Strait and the congregation of the Fourth Street church are welcoming the homeless, the needy, actually anyone who needs to eat, to a free breakfast 9-10 a.m. Saturday, and continuing each Saturday.

COEUR d'ALENE - First Christian Church wants to feed the hungry.

So, welcome to the "Chaplain's Table."

The Rev. Lauri Clark Strait and the congregation of the Fourth Street church are welcoming the homeless, the needy, actually anyone who needs to eat, to a free breakfast 9-10 a.m. Saturday, and continuing each Saturday.

"I think there are a lot of hungry people out there," Clark Strait said. "There will be people who are going to get a hot meal at least once a week and that excites me."

Clark Strait and the Rev. Al Holm have talked often about feeding the community. One of the strengths of First Christian Church is a desire to serve others, she said.

In November, they began a program, "Bags of Love," in which they give out free sack lunches. They've distributed about 100 of the meals.

"We give them out to people who are hungry," she said.

They even keep fresh lunches in their cars.

"If we see someone who needs one, we hand it to them," Clark Strait said.

But they wanted to do more.

First Christian, 610 N. Fourth, has long been a donor to the Community Action Agency Food Bank. The church will use some of that money to instead have another meal site in the area.

"Come, break bread with us at the Chaplain's Table," said the flier.

The breakfast will include coffee and juice.

Fresh Start at 16th and Sherman also has families and civic groups that serve breakfast on Saturday mornings