Open Table Ministry

Mission Statement

Open Table Ministry, Inc. seeks to provide a faithful response to homelessness in our community and to improve the quality of life for homeless persons by building relationships, meeting practical needs, and connecting with existing resources. By building authentic friendships across traditional social boundaries, we connect with persons who are often ignored, support their efforts to meet personal goals of health and wholeness, and love them in the midst of difficult life challenges. By raising community awareness of homelessness, advocating for equal access to support services, and demonstrating an effective shared effort, Open Table Ministry, Inc. works to build a stronger community of safety and stability for all.  

The goal of Open Table Ministry [OTM] is to follow the example and commandment of Jesus Christ to love our neighbors who are often rejected and disregarded by the world.  While some define our ministry by weekly meals shared at the roadside with our homeless neighbors, our primary goal is not the meal at all, but opportunities these gatherings provide to form authentic relationships with the homeless persons who live in the woods around Durham.  These meals, as well as weekly worship services, are the means through which the basic physical, emotional, spiritual and personal needs of the members of our congregation are identified and met.  In the midst of cordial conversations, local church members model a Christian lifestyle while offering encouragement, accountability and caring community to homeless persons who are frequently denied any status or sense of worth. The changes that occur in the lives of those involved are not just stories. They are the narrative of God’s work in the real life journeys of people with complex physical, mental and social challenges where even the smallest steps are significant on a long road toward a new life of stability, health and wholeness.  _________________________________________________________________________________