So it was with delight that we decided to host both a Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner on campus this year for people from the Heritage and Towers, who, like ourselves, might have found spending their holidays on their own a little depressing.

Some things we learned in the course of these endeavors:

• Don’t do all the cooking in one day! (We did this Thanksgiving and our feet were killing us.)
• It takes a long time for 40 pounds of frozen turkey breasts to thaw.
• Talk to Ann Johnson first before setting the menu – so she can suggest short cuts.
• It is possible to buy too much premade cranberry sauce.
• It is also possible to buy way too much canned gravy.
• Costco’s sour dough stuffing mix really is great.
• Beware the knife drawer in FPCC’s commercial kitchen: there are some sharp objects in there!
• Make sure you have great volunteers like Matt Chapman helping you out.

Some people we want to express our gratitude to:

• Matt Chapman. He made it possible for us to serve roughly 80 to 90 people between two meals.
• Our Christmas servers. They made sure everyone got fed before they took their turn.
• Harold and Jerry – for setting up and especially, taking the garbage out for us both nights.
• Ann Johnson and the Selbs – for ensuring that both meals ended on a sweet note.

Interested in getting involved or being included in the next round of meals? Michael and I had such a good time at Thanksgiving and Christmas we are looking forward to inviting folks from the Heritage, Towers and FPCC to join us this Easter for ham with all the fixings.

Pastor Johanna McCune Wagner