Churches welcoming guests for free holiday feast
LISA CAPITELLI n Staff Writer
(Nov. 20, 2009) Berlin First Baptist Church and Ocean City Baptist Church will again provide free turkey dinners with all the trimmings this Thanksgiving, as they have for more than two decades.
The dinner brings together members of the community, including those who might have spent the holiday alone or hungry, for companionship and fellowship, not to mention loads of traditional holiday food.
Guests can eat dinner at the churches, carry out their food or have it delivered to their homes on Thanksgiving Day.
This will be the 23rd year Berlin First Baptist Church, located at 613 William St., will offer the free dinner. Approximately 393 meals were served last year, according to church office manager Sharon Parsons, who also coordinates the event.
"Every year it's gone up," she said. "We're expecting well over 400 this year."
The Thanksgiving feast, cooked by church members, is scheduled from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The church has been inundated with calls from people who want to volunteer, Parsons said. Between 40 and 50 volunteers typically help out that day.
"Nearly every outreach program we have we try to show God's love and that God's love is free," she added. "[Thanksgiving dinner] is open to anybody and everybody."
Parsons suggests people call the church at 410-641-4306 to reserve their meal.
Ocean City Baptist Church has hosted a Thanksgiving dinner annually for 30 years. More than 400 meals were served during the 2008 gathering, according to Robin Derrickson, director of the church's crisis ministry. Attendance has increased each year and Derrickson said she anticipates an even larger crowd than in 2008 because of the poor economy.
"It was started as an outreach to the community," she said. "Everyone is welcome."
Despite being flooded during the recent storm, the church at 102 N. Division St., in downtown Ocean City next to 7-Eleven, will still welcome guest for this year's event. It is scheduled from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Approximately 30 volunteers prepared and served dinner last year.
Volunteers are still needed. For more information, call Ocean City Baptist Church at 410-289-6573 or 410-289-4054.
