Lesson 3. Food, Alcohol, Volunteers, and Vendors

Canon anchors: Ch. XV; Ch. XXVIII; Sacred Mirth Expense Policy

Learning objectives

• Manage common festival risk areas without turning the event into bureaucracy.

• Establish clear volunteer authority and vendor expectations.

• Apply responsible alcohol and food practices.

Lesson text

Many Church events fail operationally in ordinary ways rather than theological ones: nobody knows who has authority, food arrives late, volunteers handle cash casually, an intoxicated guest needs transportation, a vendor contract is unclear, or nobody documents an incident.

The solution is simple role clarity. One event lead. One financial point person. Named safety/moderation contacts. Volunteers briefed on what they may and may not do. Vendors given written scope and payment terms. Significant spending approved before commitment according to Church policy.

Food hospitality should account for allergies and restrictions reasonably and label known ingredients where practical. Alcohol, when present and lawful, should never be the only meaningful way to participate. Age restrictions, service rules, transportation, and the authority to refuse further service should be decided in advance.

Volunteers are ministers of experience even when not clergy. They should know how to welcome without pressuring, where to direct complaints, how to handle money or property, and when to involve a leader rather than improvising.

Practice

Create a one-page volunteer briefing for a Feast of the Open Table. Include welcome language, escalation contacts, cash/property rules, alcohol boundaries, and what volunteers should do if someone reports harassment.

Reflection

Knowledge check

Why should volunteers have escalation instructions?

What should be decided about alcohol before the event begins?

How should significant vendor spending be handled?

What is one reasonable food-safety/hospitality practice?