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(ARCHIVE PHOTO | THE GRAHAM LEADER) Volunteers hand out food at the Bethel Baptist Church community Thanksgiving meal in 2023. The annual tradition invites all to the church facility to share in a Thanksgiving meal at no charge. -
(ARCHIVE PHOTO | THE GRAHAM LEADER) A visitor to the Bethel Baptist Church community Thanksgiving meal in 2023 receives a plate of food from a volunteer. The event this year will be held at noon Thursday, Nov. 28 at the church located at 209 Tennessee St.
For over 35 years, Bethel Baptist Church has brought all in the community together for a Thanksgiving meal, and the annual tradition continues next week.
The free Community Thanksgiving Day Meal will be hosted at noon Thursday, Nov. 28 at the church’s Family Life Center located at 209 Tennessee St. The program has delivery, take-out and dine-in options available.
The church recently held a 75-year celebration Sunday, Nov. 3. The Thanksgiving meal has been one of the largest efforts of the church since 1988.
“We’ve been doing that community-wide Thanksgiving dinner to feed people to meet a need in our community,” Pastor Chris Rice said. “...We do that in order to reach out to the community and just basically provide a place where people can come worship and experience God. That’s the big thing for us. We want people to come here and know what Jesus Christ is about. That by far is the biggest mission (and) the purpose of our church is to just pray the gospel of Lord Jesus Christ.”
The volunteers at the church were able to serve over 600 meals to all who attended the event last year. Rice said that the meal is something that people depend on in the community.
“There are so many families that don't have a family get-together. When I think of Thanksgiving, I think of getting with my family, my aunts and uncles... and all the food that would come in from everybody, and we had a big Thanksgiving dinner,” he said. “…But what I found out through this is that there are people who eat Thanksgiving dinner alone, and when you take that plate to them, because they got put on the list, …they're just so thankful.”
To volunteer the day of the meal or to reserve ahead, call the church at 940-549-0619. Deliveries of meals are limited to Young County.
“We had to develop new parameters last year and say we're only going to go this far in Young County,” Rice said. “...We might still do maybe a few of those (out-of-county deliveries) as needed, but we're trying to limit it to Young County.”
The Bethel pastor said the service has grown to become something that brings the community together.
“There's a lot of people who don't get to have that big family Thanksgiving, and (when) you bring it to them it's just a blessing,” he said.
