PHOTOS PROVIDED BY ST. JOHN’S, KISSIMMEE.
A St. John’s outreach member washes the feet of the homeless during a past Maundy Thursday.

When outreach committee members from the St. John’s Episcopal Church of Kissimmee noticed local homeless people walking around with holes in their sneakers, no soles, and dirty socks, they decided to take action.

A few years ago committee members started putting up cardboard cutouts of shoes in church. Parishioners would then decide what size shoes they wanted to buy and take the cutout.

Several months later, everyone’s efforts could be seen when the church held its annual foot washing on Maundy Thursday. Dozens of homeless men, women and children would file through to have their feet washed and then receive a brand-new pair of socks and shoes.

That generous act has become quite the tradition at St. John’s, which will once again wash the feet of the homeless and distribute new socks and shoes to area homeless at 11:30 a.m., Thursday, March 29. The event will conclude when everyone has been seen.

Maundy Thursday is the first of the three holy days, or Triduum, observed at the heart of Holy Week in The Episcopal Church. The washing of the feet symbolizes humility of service.

Several people try on new shoes after a Maundy Thursday foot washing at St. John’s in Kissimmee.

“My people have a warm feeling in their heart when they do something for people,” said James Temple, the president of the St. John’s Outreach Committee. “We wash the feet of the recipients and our volunteer nurses inspect the feet to ensure they are cared for. Then we provide them with a new pair of sneakers and socks.”

What makes the event special is that members of the congregation do the actual purchasing of shoes and socks. When the committee was formed in 2005 under former rector, the Rev. Cecil Radcliff, outreach member Lucinda Parker approached various companies for donations or discounted prices for the sneakers.

But as the years wore on, the committee began finding it difficult to obtain sneakers as major companies like Nike reserved its donations for mega-churches of 5,000 members or more, Temple said.

“Each year, the church purchased the sneakers, but it soon became apparent that the church could not sustain a budget for this program,” said former associate priest Michelle Roach in an interview last year. “It was difficult to find companies willing to donate the sneakers.”

But the congregation rallied to keep the outreach event going, and Maundy Thursday continues to be a day of humility and generosity at St. John’s.

“My church is a small congregation,” Temple said. “We only have like 200 to 250 people.”

Parishioners annually purchase dozens of shoes and socks to be given away on Maundy Thursday.

But good things come in small packages as the saying goes, and this year is no exception. “I asked for 100 shoes this year, and we’ll be giving away like 105 to 110. I think it’s a great thing,” Temple said.

Temple said outreach committee members begin planning and starting their shoe collection process as early as late January. Some two months later, they are ready to give to the homeless.

“The shoes come from all over,” Temple said.

Roach called the outreach program a blessing. “We see God’s grace in each person who sits before us,” she said. “Many are reluctant to have us touch their feet. Most are drawn to the new shoes. But it is God’s grace that allows us to return each year.

“To touch someone provides an opportunity to offer love, support, and encouragement,” Roach said. Jesus said, “For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing” (Matt. 25:35-36a).

“The faces of the homeless are unknown to us,” Roach said. “We truly have no idea what lives they live. But Jesus knows them, and we invite them to sit for a moment to feel the warm water that cleans and refreshes them. Washing their feet allows us close contact with another human being. As we wash their feet, we say these words, ‘I wash your feet in the name of Jesus who came to serve, not to be served.’”

St. John’s is located at 1709 N. John Young Parkway in Kissimmee. Call 407-847-2009 for more information.