Beginning Days in the Soup Kitchen

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Trinity Episcopal Church
44 East Market St.
Bethlehem PA 18018-5989
610-867-4741

LIZ
by Linda Henry, July 2001

Liz MacMillan Miller could not escape her genes. MacMillan means "son of the tonsured servant" and the clan motto is "I learn to aid the oppressed." Liz's father is an Episcopal priest (namely the Rev. A. Malcolm Macmillan, a.k.a. "Father Mac"), and her brothers are a minister and a psychologist. Liz continues that tradition in her position as Coordinator of Trinity's Soup Kitchen, where she aids soup kitchen guests not only by addressing their need for food, but by addressing their need for assistance in the world at large. However, Liz's entry into her work at the soup kitchen was more providential than purposeful.

Approximately ten years ago, Liz and her husband Terry moved to Bethlehem from Whitehall at the urging of Terry's youngest daughter. They moved into a spacious apartment with a wisteria-covered fence, across the alley from Trinity Church. "What type of church is that?" asked Liz. Upon learning that Trinity was an Episcopal church, the die was cast. She and Terry began attending services. Former rector John Coble innocently asked if the Millers had any experience in food management. Both Liz and Terry worked in the food service industry, so "we stopped over and had a look" at the Soup Kitchen.

Grace Howenstine managed the soup kitchen at the time that Liz began volunteering. When Grace began to experience health problems, Liz was asked to assume her position. "It was the coolest job I could ever imagine," said Liz. But the job was a part-time position and Liz had a full time job at Lehigh Valley Country Club. She told the church that she could not afford to take the cut in pay, but that she would gladly accept if she could work full time.

But Trinity was not going to let Liz escape the family motto. At the time, Trinity was paying an outside service to clean the church; the cleaning service contract was canceled and the funds (and duties) added to Liz's position. Liz was hired as soup kitchen coordinator in the morning and as sexton in the afternoon. "I was," said Liz "truly the chief cook and bottle washer."

Liz then embarked on her mission of counseling soup kitchen guests, as well as feeding them. The Soup Kitchen instituted social service programs for the guests, such as partnering with the Bethlehem Health Bureau to offer services, helping guests with referrals to appropriate agencies, completing forms, and helping to have prescriptions filled. Liz plans the menus and coordinates the cooks (and serves as cook herself in their absence). Under Liz's direction, the soup kitchen fulfills community service requirements for local high schools and colleges. In her spare time, Liz fills out the necessary paperwork to ensure that the food and services keep coming. Liz wants to see that the oppressed do not stay oppressed. "The purpose of the soup kitchen for clients is to get them out of the soup kitchen," says Liz. "We want to understand how they got into the situation that brought them to the soup kitchen and help them out."

Liz is currently following yet another aspect of her clan motto, that of learning. She has begun the discernment process for the vocational diaconate, to determine if she has a calling to be a deacon in the Episcopal Church . Yet another Trinity rector, Father Nick, started the process with a question. After his arrival at Trinity, seeing Liz running the soup kitchen, Fr. Nick asked Liz if she had ever considered the diaconate. No, she replied. You should, he said. Why? she asked. Because you already are one, he pointed out. As Liz went through the discernment process, she stated that she realized that she was in fact called to be at Trinity, called to be the Soup Kitchen Coordinator, called to help the weak and to expand her services to them. She hopes that the diaconate will assist her with such expansion. "I have gone with clients to the emergency room, and I have to wait in the waiting room. Because I am not a relative and not wearing a collar, I can't stay with them", she said. Liz may also be permitted to officiate at weddings and funerals of clients as a Deacon. Liz looks forward to continuing the clan tradition by ministering to her congregation, the Soup Kitchen.

Trinity Episcopal Church
44 East Market St.
Bethlehem PA 18018-5989
610-867-4741