Fairfield Methodist Church to prepare annual Thanksgiving dinner

FAIRFIELD – The Fairfield First United Methodist Church will host its 17th annual free Thanksgiving dinner on Thursday, and organizers are preparing for their biggest crowd yet.

Carrie Brownlee has been in charge of the meal for the past six years, and said the church hopes to have enough food for 500 people. Last year, the church expected between 350-375 people to eat on Thanksgiving Day, but ended up serving 420, the most ever. In fact, some of the corporate donors chipped in extra at the last minute when Brownlee realized the reservations were piling up more than she anticipated.

This year’s meal will be served from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., and will be drive-up and delivery only, with no seating in the church as in pre-pandemic years. The meal will include the traditional turkey, cranberry sauce, stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans, a roll and pie.

The church is asking for reservations no later than Tuesday, Nov. 23, which can be secured by calling 641-472-4303 or 641-919-6046. The First United Methodist Church is located at 201 N. Court St.

Though the Methodist Church is organizing the event, it’s not shouldering the burden alone. Other churches and organizations contribute food for the meal. The Lutheran Church provides the stuffing, while the First Christian Church does the rolls, and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints donates to offset the cost of mashed potatoes. The Knights of Columbus help pay for the pies, too.

“A lot of area churches are involved, and the congregants of different churches help us serve as well,” Brownlee said.

An army of volunteers serve the food, box it for takeout and deliver it. Brownlee said anyone who wishes to help can come to the church at 10:30 a.m. Thursday.

“We always have enough volunteers, but I will not turn anybody away,” she said. “More people will allow us to give breaks and rotate others through.”

Hy-Vee and Walmart donated the 40 turkeys this years, which will be cooked Tuesday and Wednesday before being de-boned. All the food is prepared at the church. Brownlee said the church is fortunate to have most of its costs covered by donations of food and money from businesses and churches. The Methodist Church’s Mission Committee also helps to fund the dinner.

“One member of our church donated the carry-out boxes, and many donate their time as volunteers, which I’m always grateful for,” Brownlee said.

Brownlee said the attendance at the church’s Thanksgiving meal seems to rise every year. She’s not sure how to interpret that, if that means more people are in need of a meal, or if the church has been good at spreading the word.

“Maybe people don’t want to have to clean up a mess on Thanksgiving,” she said.

The church accepts donations, but the dinner is advertised as free, and Brownlee said no one should feel obligated to donate to receive a meal.