Sarver church serves feast as Thanksgiving tradition
SARVER — The folks at Zion United Methodist Church served up 10 turkeys for assorted guests Thursday.
In the church’s second annual Thanksgiving Day community meal, 23 people showed up for free fixings of turkey, stuffing, gravy and more. The turnout was an improvement over the nine who showed for last year’s feast, according to Tim Lucas, a church member.
Lucas helps with the church’s involvement in the Cabot Food Bank’s regular free community meals. Thursday’s feast was an extension of that program.
Rob Wilson, the church’s pastor, said they hope the meal will grow each year into a bonding tradition.
“We want to give a sense of happiness and warmth to people who come, to show them a community,” Wilson said. “It’s all in the context of God’s love.”
The day’s humble crowd seemed to feel how Wilson hoped. The Koedels and family showed up looking for a good meal without all the hassle.
“The people here seemed so nice,” said Dave Koedel of Sarver. “I felt very welcome right away.”
Carol Koedel said she was invited to come by a friend she sees at the YMCA, so she got her husband Dave on board, as well as family in Brackenridge and in Tarentum.
Jim Horneman, a family member from Brackenridge, said the ease of the meal was attractive to them.
“We decided to skip all the work and cleaning and just come out to eat,” he said.
At a nearby table, Cliff and Patty Black of Cabot found themselves using the meal to avoid a quiet holiday without company. Cliff had surgery last week, so they weren’t able to travel to see their children in New Jersey as originally planned.
Patty grew up in the church and they were married there, so “it seemed like a good place to come back to.”
They said they expected more people to show up.
“There’s a lot of people who don’t have family to go to,” Patty said.
Patty Burdett, a church member volunteering at the event, said they hope to reach the folks Patty described as the event grows, but that they also want to serve anyone who would like a meal.
“We want to serve those who might be alone or who don’t have the ability to prepare a dinner themselves,” she said. “But everyone is invited.”
