Ten years ago, a new service project opened up inside of Elmhurst, focused on extending open arms to all members of the community; and thus, Grace Café was born. The Café is hosted by an assembly of 13 different Elmhurst churches which rotate in meal serving twice a month; not only special for the community as a whole, but serving as a testament of the willingness of different churches with different traditions and doctrines to come together in service.

“Grace Café has given us, the various congregations of Elmhurst, a great opportunity to work together for the good of the community,” said Kelley Hook, leader of Grace Café. “Over the years, we have grown from around 35 attendees on average to 75 or sometimes as many as 90, and that really speaks volumes about the connection we have grown with one another through this project.”

The Grace Café community evidently hasn’t stopped growing yet either. Only last year did Redeemer Lutheran Church — which plans to work with Immanuel Lutheran in the future — join the project, which most recently gathered 94 guests. This, of course, would have been impossible without the servants.

“Seventeen adult and nine children volunteers made this a special time for all,” said Kim LaBounty, head of Redeemer’s Board of Evangelism.

With this project comes a slew of different volunteer opportunities appealing to a broad range of skills or interests, all of which are vital to the success of the meal.

“Grace Café could use people who are willing to prepare food, serve food, set up the event, bus tables, clean up afterwards, things of that nature,” said Rev. Anthony Oliphant, pastor of Redeemer Lutheran Church. “I also like to have volunteers sit down and enjoy the meal and have conversation with the guests to create a more open and friendly environment.”

High-schoolers, the future of the community, are encouraged to volunteer as well and are more than welcome to attend the free meal.

“We are a community-wide service project in two ways,” said Rev. Oliphant. “Anybody from the community can attend the meal and anybody can volunteer. These churches would love to have have outside help as well and it would be a great boost to the Grace Café community itself. If one plans on volunteering at a church they are not a member of, they should just make sure to contact that church’s office.”

The meals will continue through 2017 until early June and likely pick back up again in late August. Here is the remaining schedule:

January 30: Epiphany Lutheran Church (314 W. Vallette St.)

February 13: Immaculate Conception Catholic Church (134 Arthur St.)

February 27: Redeemer Lutheran Church (345 S. Kenilworth Ave.)

March 6: Yorkfield Presbyterian Church (1099 S. York Rd.)

March 20: First Congregational United Church of Christ (235 S. Kenilworth Ave.)

April 10: Mary Queen of Heaven Catholic Church (246 N. West Ave.)

April 24: Episcopal Church of Our Savior (116 E. Church St.)

May 8: Christ United Methodist Church (920 Swain Ave.)

May 22: Bethel United Church of Christ (315 E. St. Charles Rd.)

June 5: First United Methodist Church (232 York Rd.)