Don't just go to church, BE the church

Today I look back and am simply AMAZED. This evening 31 members from my internship church of Our Redeemer Lutheran Church (ORLC) gathered to process some 600 pounds of moose meat. Last week ORLC was contacted by the Alaska Moose Federation as  Alaska has had deep snows and blizzard-like conditions which have created a "moose emergency" in Southcentral Alaska.

The Alaska Moose Federation, was rolling almost non-stop Thursday and Friday, responding to at least 15 collisions in 20 hours. According to the news report "Literally, a bull was hit in Eagle River on a curve, then a cow was hit by another car. They were (loaded) on the truck and we delivered them to a local church." (that's us, ORLC!!) On Friday some of ORLC's men responded to the call and worked in the heavy snow (8 inches accumulated during the day) to get the two moose ready for processing that would take place this (Monday) evening.

Unloading

Workin' in and through the snow

So tonight it was the big event. Two moose, 1 bull and 1 cow, over 600 pounds of meat. We had 31 people turn up to help and managed to get it all done in 2.5 hours. That's quite an accomplishment.

So what is it like to process a moose? Well here is my perspective. The evening starts with cutting up butcher paper into square sheets to wrap the later ground or cut moose meat. I was feeling good as I knew what I was doing and initiated this event. I then handed this off to Kathy and MaryAnn as I went over to the grinder to help wrap and package.

Rollin' out the paper

Lots of tape and butcher paper lined up (right) but it didn't last long

Around the basement there were 4 different stations/table set up and at each station there was a moose leg. There were 2-6 men on any given leg cutting off pieces of meat. The meat can be cut into large chunks to make a moose steak, or into smaller chunks to later be ground into burger.

6 men working on two legs

It's like a giant chicken leg, only...not

They're so serious

I held many jobs throughout the evening but my job for the first hour was to be a runner. I went from station to station carrying cut moose meat the legs over to the grinder. While transporting the meat my job was to check for moose hair stuck to the meat (which occurred more often than not), and then remove the hair before handing it off to Len to grind into moose burger.

Transporting meat from table to grinder.

Go Jo! 

Once at the grinder Len would work to run it through and it soon came out into a pan. From there Kathy would take what she judged to be a pound of ground moose burger and place it on a piece of butcher paper. After that was finished Carl would take the meant on the paper, wrap it, and then tape it. It took two people to do this Kathy (as the "dirty" hands), and Carl (as the "clean" hands". Since Kathy was directly touching the meat to place on the butcher paper her gloves would get all full of moose meat making the butcher paper sticky and occasionally bloody so Carl did the wrapping as he only touched the clean butcher paper. It was an aesthetics things rather than an issue of sanitation.

 After the meat is wrapped MaryAnn or Ingrid would write the cut (steak or burger) and date on the outside paper, and then transport it to the freezer. In between transports and writing, MaryAnn and Ingrid would continually be cutting up butcher paper as each package was double wrapped, and also they would replenish the tape supply as it goes quickly.

MaryAnn, I hope to be as energetic as her when I'm older.

After being a runner for quite some time Len (at the grinder) told me to help wrap as they were falling behind. With so many people working on cutting meat from the legs they needed more assistance packaging. I then worked with Carl and Kathy on packaging. Several times we were caught waiting on Ingrid and MaryAnn to cut butcher paper. I say this not to criticize but to point out that each part of the "assembly line" is no less important than the others because if one is not up to speed we all suffer.

Wrap, roll, tape, repeat.

Believe it or not even with 31 people we still could have used more. I felt sorry for MaryAnn and Ingrid as they did many odds and ends. Fetching bowls, taking out garbage, removing un-usable meat, cleaning up blood or dropped meat on the floor. Things that one would not usually think about but really are essential to keep the process going smoothly.

It was simply humbling to see everyone come together to work for the good of the ministry and the food pantry. Many clients will benefit from this meat, it's all part of our intentional outreach. Becoming like Jesus means serving like Jesus "...just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." (Matt. 20:28). God has called us to serve one another “You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love.” (Galatians 5:13) I feel that tonight ORLC really put their faith in action. Tonight we did not just come to church, we WERE (and ARE) the church.

The crew!

Don't go to church, BE the church