Bermuda's churches were sent an Easter plea this weekend: Get involved in the community.

The call came from the leader of a Christian group which fed the Island's homeless and hungry on Saturday.

Mrs. Fern Wade, who heads the Hands of Love group, said: "I would like more of the churches to come out of their four walls and become more visible on the streets.

"They need to come out on the streets and get involved, because the streets are not going to the churches.

"The churches need to feel what people are feeling on the streets. There are a lot of social ills, and there is a lot of hurt out here.'' Mrs. Wade said the church could play a big part in combating drugs and violence hitting Bermuda.

But it had to take its spiritual message to people's "homes, and the highways and byways,'' and it had to renounce materialism.

"The church is the heartbeat of the any community, and the heart is not beating any more in our community.'' Mrs. Wade spoke out on Saturday afternoon as the Hands of Love fed the homeless and hungry from a Court Street food stall.

Scores of people of all ages walked to the stall for a helping of Easter fare, which included turkey and chicken, Spanish rice, macaroni and cheese, peas and rice and baked spaghetti. Drinks were also served.

"It was very successful. About 80 plates of food were served and there were plenty of double portions,'' Mrs. Wade told The Royal Gazette .

"We had a lot of food donations from supermarkets and various people -- the community response was great. I would like to thank everyone.'' As she spoke a youngster ap proached the stall, inquiring about the food.

Mrs. Wade recognised him, and the boy told her he was 16 and from a secondary school.

"We get some very young people coming here, one was even as young as eight.'' It is such sights which prompts Mrs. Wade to send a "wake up'' call to Bermuda's churches.

"God is the answer, but society will not know the answer unless the churches go to the community. If the church doesn't do so, the community will be blaming the church.'' LOVING HANDS -- Mrs. Fern Wade (striped shirt), of Hands of Love, dishes out food to some of the Island's homeless on Saturday. She challenged churches to do likewise.