Fairfield Methodist Church to host free Thanksgiving meal

FAIRFIELD – The First United Methodist Church in Fairfield will hold its 19th Annual Thanksgiving Day Meal on Thursday, Nov. 23.

The meal is free, and will be served from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. that day in the church’s lower level. Guests can eat at the church, or opt for the carry-out or delivery service. To reserve a meal, let the church know how many meals you’d like by the end of the day Tuesday, Nov. 21 by calling the office line at 641-472-4303 and leaving a message, or by calling Carrie Brownlee, who is in charge of organizing the meal, at 641-919-6046.

The church served about 325 meals last year, and is planning to serve about that same number again in 2023. Brownlee said that the church saw a spike in the number of meals served after the COVID pandemic.

“Before COVID, we were running about 250 each year, and right after COVID, we started doing carry-outs and deliveries,” Brownlee said. “In 2021, we served 350 meals.”

Brownlee wants the public to know that everyone is invited to partake in the Thanksgiving Day meal.

“This is an option for anybody who needs food, and it doesn’t matter what your economic status is,” she said.

Most of the volunteers and funding for the meal come from the Methodist Church, but they couldn’t do this without the help of a whole community of churches that pitch in money and dishes. For instance, the Lutheran Church contributes the stuffing, and the First Christian Church buys rolls. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints donates money that is used to buy green beans, mashed potatoes and gravy, which the church gets at-cost from Logli’s.

The Methodist Church and Knights of Columbus team up to purchase pies.

“We’re upping our purchase of pies this year because we ran out last year,” Brownlee said. “Last year we bought 55, but we’ll buy 60 this year. When it was just carry-out and delivery, one piece of pie was all anybody got, but if people dine-in, sometimes they go back for a second helping of food or a second piece of pie. I’m going to make sure we have enough pie this year.”

A team of 20 volunteers working in pairs formed 10 teams of delivery drivers last year, and Brownlee expects to get a similar number of delivery volunteers again this year.

“I like to send them in pairs so that nobody is going out by themselves,” she said. “If anybody wants to volunteer, they can let me know.”

Brownlee said this tradition of a free Thanksgiving meal began nearly two decades ago when the church sought to share fellowship and camaraderie with the entire community.

“I volunteered to run it, because I see a need for that,” Brownlee said. “There are people who can’t make it home to their family. They need someone to be there and support them, and that’s what Jesus wanted in the end. He reached out to everyone who needed help.”

The meal will consist of turkey, cranberry sauce, stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, green beans, rolls and pies.

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Call Andy Hallman at 641-575-0135 or email him at andy.hallman@southeastiowaunion.com

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