COURTNEY McCLURE The Standard
KAWARTHA LAKES: If you are in need for a hot meal or will be alone on Christmas Day, you are invited to St. Paul’s Anglican Church, in Lindsay, for their annual Christmas Dinner.
According to the people’s warden, Paul Carpenter, St. Paul’s Anglican Church has been hosting their Christmas Dinner for approximately 30 years.
“We [phrase it as] ‘come in and feed the body and the soul,’ meaning, you get a good meal, a chance to talk to people and [gain] some Christmas spirit,” said Mr. Carpenter. “That’s what we try to accomplish and we’ve been very successful.”
Mr. Carpenter’s favourite part of the annual Christmas Dinner is seeing the community engaging with one another. For him, seeing the interaction emphasizes, no one in the community is alone.
Usually there are about 100 attendees. However, the church is able to accommodate a little more than that: around 110 people.
The annual dinner was started because members of the church knew there were people in their community who were “food-deprived.”
The invitation has also been extended to people who may be alone for the holidays. Some people are left alone during Christmas because they may not have extended family members to celebrate with.
Attending the Christmas Dinner at St. Paul’s will give them a chance to socialize and enjoy a hot meal, surrounded by members of their community.
This year, about 20 volunteers will be needed to help prepare and serve the food. Visitors will be divided between the first and second floors of the church building.
“We always have more [volunteers] than we can use,” said Mr. Carpenter.
During COVID-19, St. Paul’s did not host Christmas Dinner at the church but provided take out instead.
Mr. Carpenter added, by using the two floors, people will be separated from one another. This is to keep former COVID-19 precautions because some people prefer social distance. This year, take out will not be offered.
The doors will open at 4:15 p.m., and the dinner will begin at 4:30 p.m.
For more information or to reserve a spot for Christmas Dinner, please call the church, at 705-324-4666.
If you wish to reserve a seat at the table please use extension 6. If you would like to volunteer to help out, please press extension 7.
Please reserve your seat no later than December 22nd which is the Friday before Christmas.