News

November 14

Free food and fellowship at community event

First Baptist Church will present its annual turkey dinner Saturday at 1 p.m.

By Steve Mocarsky smocarsky@timesleader.com
Staff Writer
Steve Mocarsky on Facebook   |   @TLSteveMocarsky on Twitter

WILKES-BARRE – Organizers of a free turkey dinner on Saturday want the members of the public to know they are welcome to attend, whether they’re homeless, strapped for cash or just up for some fellowship and good food.

First Baptist Church on South River Street will present its annual Free Turkey Dinner Community Event beginning at 1 p.m.

“I don’t care if you have food to eat or if you don’t have food to eat. Come for the fellowship if you do, come to help if you do. This is for the community,” said the Rev. Shawn Walker, pastor.

The annual tradition began four years ago when the Rev. Diane Roberts joined the congregation, Walker explained.

“She had been conducting this ministry on a small, local level and, when she joined this church, she brought this opportunity to our attention. I thought it was a great opportunity as we, through the years, have tried to figure out ways to serve the community. We thought this fell right in line with (our) mission,” Walker said.

“It started right when the economy was starting to get bad in 2008. We thought we would serve a lot of the homeless community, but we found that we were serving a lot of the community that was in need of meals for whatever reason. … And with the flood, that might provide an opportunity to serve a whole different part of the community,” he said.

Walker said the church served a few hundred people last year. Deacon Bob Evans estimated many more this year, with so many local flood victims and the event becoming better known.

“I like to say, if you’re hungry, come. If you’re lonely, come. If you’re flooded out, come,” said Evans.

The church has been holding the event the same day as Wilkes-Barre’s Christmas Parade. Williams said a lot of people stop in before or after the parade, which is scheduled to begin at 3:15 p.m. this Saturday. The church will begin serving at 1 p.m.

This year’s diners will enjoy eating in the church’s newly remodeled Fellowship Hall, Walker noted. With new paint and flooring, “it will be nice and comfortable for everybody,” he said.

The church funds the dinner through donations from the congregation, area businesses and members of the community.

Congregation member Carlton Ayers said Sam’s Club, Price Chopper, Wal-Mart and Logan’s Roadhouse have been major contributors and several other local businesses have pitched too.

Walker said the whole church participates, “from set-up to clean-up to cooking. It’s not just a few, it’s the large body of this church who work to make this happen.”

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