Our local Baptist church always had a dinner for the community during Thanksgiving week and Christmas week.
Soon they were overwhelmed with people, not homeless or hungry, just looking for a free meal. The guests always ate first and soon there was no food for the regular church attendees.
Children running everywhere, massive waste (Alligator eyes and a squirrel’s behind), food fights.
It was finally stopped by having the dinner for church members AND INVITED GUESTS only.
The rabble were going from church to church gobbling down, and wasting, the free food.
One of my churches would deliver complete Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners to families in the community, no membership required. They also had a congregational dinner for the members, and many non-members would attend.
“The rabble were going from church to church gobbling down, and wasting, the free food.”
Good point.