An inner‑city Boston church was located on what was called Meetinghouse Hill. People who knew what went on in the church, though, called it “Eating House Hill.” The minister, Rev. Allen, always had a huge pot of stew or chili or soup cooking on the stove in the kitchen and lots of fresh bread.

Many people came by that church during the week asking for help paying their rent or utilities. They came to discuss problems with the welfare office or the Social Security Administration or local merchants. They came because their children had just been taken away for alleged neglect, or because they couldn’t get health care, or because they were about to be deported as “illegal aliens.”

This minister never passed the buck. He always seemed to provide cash when needed, and he got on the phone and called people he knew in the agencies and businesses with which people were having trouble. All the time he was ladling out stew and bread.