NORWICH – For the third time in the past year and a half, members of the Broad Street United Methodist Church congregation will be venturing outside the walls of their place of worship Sunday for the community-wide volunteer effort known as “The Church Has Left the Building.”

Beginning with refreshments at 9 a.m. at the United Methodist Church – 74 North Broad St. – and a 9:30 a.m. worship service, church members will then spread throughout downtown, volunteering their time and tackling nine projects across the city. Those projects include a clean-up and hot dog roast at Weiler Park; visits to several nursing homes located within the city; baking cookies for St. Bartholomew’s weekly community dinner; volunteer work at The Place; sewing projects at Sew Nice and a food collection from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in West Park.

The food collection – canned and boxed non-perishables only – is a relatively new project for those who have participated in the past with The Church Has Left the Building. The challenge? To collect enough foodstuffs for the church’s Sunday School students and other youth to build “the biggest food castle” they possibly can, said Broad Street United Methodist senior pastor Nancy Hale, all in an effort to combat hunger within the community.