Hope Community Fellowship serves annual holiday dinner

The season of giving was in full swing Sunday afternoon at Hope Community Fellowship Church in Weissport.

The church held its annual free Christmas turkey dinner, continuing a tradition it started over a decade ago.

“A lot of people sometimes don’t have family around or the means to have a big Christmas meal, so we decided to make one and serve it,” Pastor Samuel Carey said.

Hope’s kitchen crew dished out turkey, filling, green beans, corn, rolls, cranberry sauce and more as part of the main meals in addition to a variety of dessert cupcakes.

Around 10-12 volunteers helped Sunday from decorating to serving the meal.

“It’s a big team effort,” Carey said. “Everyone really comes together. There were probably even more people who helped out before today to get things ready.”

The church usually holds a summer cookout for the community, but the two-hour Christmas dinner is by far its biggest such meal.

On average, the meal draws over 50 people.

“We put up posters and try to get the word out the best we can,” Carey said. “We want to be a part of the community and these people who are coming here today make up our community.”

For many families, the turkey dinner may be their only opportunity to gather for a holiday meal.

“The way we look at it is Jesus gave us a lot and he needs us to care for those around us,” Carey said. “This is just one small way we have found to help. We want to be able to share food and provide friendship too. Sometimes people miss that. It is the spirit of giving we all have during Christmas, but more importantly it is the spirit of giving Jesus commands us to have all year.”