It is not right for us to neglect preaching the Word in order to serve at table. The sixth chapter of the Acts of the Apostles begins on what might appear to be a wrong footing: complaints and division. The Hellenist “faction” complains that the needy in their “camp” are being neglected, and the initial response from the apostles appear to suggest that there is a hierarchical bias when it comes to preaching the Word and serving at table. But nothing can be further from the truth. Rather than complaints and division, these beginning verses not only afford us a peek on the developments that are taking place within the growing community, but also remind us of an important aspect of the early Christian life: the importance of service. Indeed, to these early Christian communities, preaching the Word and serving at table were two sides of the same coin, and both were equally important and had to be taken care of. It was serving at table (taking care of those in need) that concretized the preaching of the apostles, for serving at table was good news in action. The apostles clearly understood this, and it is no wonder that they agreed to create a permanent ministry dedicated to serving. The Christian message can only make sense if concretized. If the message of Jesus is love, what better way was there to show this than to share one’s blessings with one’s brothers and sisters?  This is what made Christianity more appealing in its earlier days, turning it into a grassroots movement such as never seen before. May we endeavor to ensure that this wonderful two-fold nature of the Church is not lost during our watch.