BRADENTON -- The community Thanksgiving Day meal at First United Methodist Church, which is served from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m, started out as a meal to feed the homeless and has evolved into a community dinner for people from all walks of life.
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First United Methodist Church located downtown Bradenton and the location for the free community Thanksgiving Day dinner. |
Susan Schrier Clouse, associate pastor at the church, said it’s for anyone who has a large family to feed in these tough economic times, for someone who is spending the holiday alone, or for a family wanting to join other families in the celebration of a day devoted to being thankful.
The meal was originally planned for the homeless and severely disadvantaged. It began in 2002 to accommodate people after Our Daily Bread and the Salvation Army closed their doors for the holiday, having served earlier Thanksgiving meals to the hungry. Their church is conveniently located in the downtown area, Clouse said.
”It is just a wonderful opportunity to see folks of all socioeconomic status or race and all ages getting together for a time of celebration and giving thanks to God,“ Clouse said. ”This is a picture of what the kingdom of God looks like.“
The church has been gathering volunteers and getting the food ready for months now, with the help and partnership of local Methodist churches, including Faith United Methodist Church, Trinity United Methodist Church and Manatee United Methodist Church.
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| Community Thanksgiving Day dinner held under tents at the church. |
Last year, they served more than 550 people, and this year they expect to have more because of the hard economic times.
”We have sat down and planned the menu, and it’s a slightly different menu,“ Clouse said. ”We are serving smoked pork loins instead of turkey.“
The reason is to keep the taste buds attentive, as attendees may have already had up to two turkey dinners at other local community kitchens.
”So they asked us to fix something different,“ she said. ”We are having roast pork and mashed potatoes, green beans and black beans and rice, and pies for dessert.“
What’s even better, Clouse said, is the way the meal is served – outside and with tableside service.
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| Jan Green, left, and Susan Clouse who is the associate pastor for the church at First United Methodist Church. |
”We have tents set up with the 30 tables and the volunteers come while visitors are served the meal,“ Clouse said.
She said she wants the community to spread the word and be a part of the free Thanksgiving meal. The event is promoted through posted fliers and a sign in front of the church, but mainly through word of mouth.
Clouse is a graduate of Asbury Theological Seminary. She has been at First United Methodist Church since 2005. The church has a primary focus on the homeless and the hungry, she said.
”It’s our passion for outreach and the homeless, and most of things we do are geared towards homelessness and children,“ she said.
So the hosting of the free community dinner at Thanksgiving is in line with their absolute heart for the area.
Members of the church also volunteer at the Literacy Council of Manatee, Our Daily Bread, the Bill Galvano One Stop Center and at local hospitals.
Every Sunday evening, congregants meet at 6:30 to 7 p.m. with the homeless outside of the church for prayer requests and encouragement.
Most recently, they were visible at the Stand Down event for the homeless at the Palmetto fairgrounds.
Clouse has already received dozens of calls from people around the community wanting to lend a helping hand and volunteer for the free Thanksgiving Day meal.
Clouse says to call her at (941) 747–4406 or e-mail her for information about the dinner.
”All of us there helping each other,“ she said. ”It’s a wonderful thing to be a part of.“
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