December 6, 2019

Everyone is invited to the free 2019 Christmas Community Dinner at the First United Methodist Church beginning at 5:30 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 11. Last year approximately 1,000 enjoyed the dinner. This year, the cooks expect to feed even more people. Church members are making a shopping list and checking it twice. There has to be enough food, since they invited everyone to join them for the banquet celebrating Jesus’ love...

Barbara Ann Horton Staff Write

Everyone is invited to the free 2019 Christmas Community Dinner at the First United Methodist Church beginning at 5:30 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 11. Last year approximately 1,000 enjoyed the dinner. This year, the cooks expect to feed even more people.

Church members are making a shopping list and checking it twice. There has to be enough food, since they invited everyone to join them for the banquet celebrating Jesus’ love.

The church is located at the corner of Fifth and Main streets, Poplar Bluff. The guests are asked to enter the Main street doors to the historic sanctuary where they will be entertained by the Ringing Strings while they wait their turn to be served. They are then invited to enjoy their meal in the Community Life Center Gym where they are seated and entertained by a host of singing of traditional Christmas music lead by Mike Starnes.

The dinner is the church’s gift to the community and the members explain their goal “is that the community experiences the love of Jesus through our service.”

Preparation begins early in the week with shopping, the baking of cakes, pies and yeast rolls.

This year, members of the church and volunteers will roast 30 turkeys and prepare all the trimmings. Beside the turkeys, the shopping list includes 275 pounds of potatoes, pans of stuffing, and a huge kettle of green beans will be prepared.

Those who are preparing turkeys will pick them up Sunday and return them baked and sliced by 1:30 p.m. Wednesday.

Monday from 9 a.m. to noon has been designated as time to bake desserts. Peeling potatoes will be from 9-11 a.m. Tuesday. Chopping onions, celery and treating bread for the dressing, as well as making the dough or the rolls will be from 6-7 p.m. Decorating and setting tables will begin at 1 p.m. continue until completed.

Wednesday, preparing the yeast rolls will be from 8-10 a.m. and final food preparation will start at noon.

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