St Johns Uniting Church Community Meal put on a Christmas feast to remember – December 2023

     

The tables were all set, done up like Christmas Day, because it was! A team of more than 15 volunteers had worked for days preparing, cooking, baking and making. After the morning worship service, there was a quiet pause, a few reflective moments of wonder, and then our dinner guests arrived, and the party was on.

Christmas lunch, held by St John’s Uniting Church Community Meal was a wonderful celebration; a big and noisy event, where everyone who came had a place at the table. Friends and strangers merged into table groups of chatter and chomping. Approximately 60 people were seated and served: nibbles, charcuterie board, seafood entrée, roast meats and vegies with salad for main course and then the quintessential Christmas pudding with custard, and chocolates for those who still had space. Each one left with the gift of a Christmas glass with hand-made biscuits and a blessing.

Comments as guests were leaving, and those we have received since are notes of deep appreciation. “Probably the best Christmas dinner I’ve ever had!” “Thank you to all who gave their time to make this special day wonderful!” “You gave me somewhere good to share this day, it’s not an easy time for me.”

   

This meal was made possible by a generous donation from the Phillip Island and San Remo Rotary Club and the immeasurable contribution of time and talents of the volunteers. Planning had been going on for weeks. Some spent almost all of Christmas Eve and Christmas Day working in teams to prepare the food and the space. PICAL took bookings and allowed us to use their new kitchen, frequently traversing through the gate between our properties. Thank you all.

The church was open, candles lit, and some took advantage of the quiet space, while others not connected with the meal wandered in and simply sat in the stillness. It was particularly hard to celebrate the birth of Jesus this year, with so much struggle and violence happening in and around his birthplace and other places in the world, including those closer to home. This Christmas meal was a beautiful reminder that when we gather and make space at the table, when we listen to each other’s stories and share in delicious food so carefully prepared, we are blessed to be celebrating life together and sharing the gift of love, the essence of Christmas.