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News
Sharing the Spirit of Christmas
January 17, 2007
Sharing the Spirit of Christmas
Holy Trinity, International Falls, met a challenge and spearheaded a free Christmas Community Dinner in its community
by the Rev. Leland Grim
In mid-November of 2006, businessman Carl Brown, owner of the Road House Nightclub, Supper Club, and Community Center in International Falls, challenged me to organize a free Christmas Community Dinner for all. Carl said, “I would like to open up my roadhouse for a Christmas Day dinner to spread the giving spirit of Christmas. Would you go to the churches and ask them if they would support such an idea?”
I took the challenge to Holy Trinity’s Vestry and Total Ministry Team. The two groups enthusiastically jumped at the idea without hesitation. The Vestry put up $300 of outreach funds and said to go for it. The next step was to ask the other churches in the community if they would by in on the deal. When the proposal was laid out to them, most ministers thought the idea was a good one and vowed to support the dinner with their congregations.
A five-member organizing committee of eager volunteers was set up on December 6. The purposes of the dinner were identified to:
1. Spread the spirit of Christmas
2. Build community spirit
3. Provide for those who are alone or in need
4. Provide for those who want to share the Christmas spirit
A board member and treasurer of the Falls Hunger Coalition set up a separate account for solicited funds that would be needed to promote and conduct the dinner. It was determined that all funds collected above the cost of the dinner would be given to the coalition to feed the hungry in “the Falls.”
The organizing committee began to seek the support of all those in the community who wanted to be involved. Advice was sought from the local Salvation Army leaders who are experienced in conducting Thanksgiving Day dinners for the community. A meeting was also held with the area social services providers network, to help get the word out about the dinner.
Growing into a community event
This dinner became a truly ecumenical and community-based effort. The Christmas spirit of giving was at work and community members clamored to be involved.
The Christmas dinner turned into a true community endeavor. The organizing committee members are (L-R): Road House owner Carl Brown; Peter Schultz, International Falls Convention and Visitors Bureau (advertising); Etta Jean Goulet, representing senior citizens (organized take-out meals); Tom Walter (organized transportation); Patricia Bjorum, St. Thomas of Aquinas Catholic Church (organized volunteers); and Deacon Leland Grim, Holy Trinity Episcopal Church (organized RSVPs). Coca Cola Bottling supplied the free sign for the event.
Volunteer leaders of eight dinner sub-committees were identified, and more than 60 volunteers were assigned to those groups. A transportation committee was organized to sign up drivers to pick up those who needed rides to and from the dinner, and to deliver meals. Those who led the Thanksgiving Day take-out delivery stepped forth to take over this aspect of the dinner. The local Elks’ Club agreed to open their kitchen for cooking and preparation of take-out meals.
Signup sheets were distributed throughout the community, and a communication network was set up to determine how many people would attend the dinner. Three churches provided over 36 pans of desserts. The local Chamber of Commerce and Visitor and Convention Bureau managed an advertising campaign. Local businesses donated over $1,110 of food and supplies. The International Falls Daily Journal wrote two promotional articles and an editorial supporting the dinner. Radio stations interviewed organizers and promoted the dinner.
After the advertising went out, $3,330 was raised to support the dinner before it occurred. Three professional cooks volunteered to direct procurement of food and all of the cooking. Road House staff secured supplies and directed all of the decorating at the club.
Entertainment was not forgotten, either. Jessie Laurion, a local pianist, volunteered to bring her large electronic piano to play Christmas music. Lyrics were prepared for PowerPoint projection, and group singing and background music was planned.
Our small congregation was fantastic at responding to the challenge given to us by our Vestry and Total Ministry Team, and for taking the leading role in our community.
A joyous and rewarding day
Dinner on Christmas Day (held from 3-7 pm) was a most joyous and rewarding event for our community. It was the same for the thirteen members of Holy Trinity who worked and ate at the dinner that day. We served 120 delivered meals and 330 meals at the Road House.
A host of volunteer greeters met participants at the door, warmly greeting them and thanked them for coming as they left. Large and small families came to eat at the Road House instead of cooking at home. Many who came to eat took meals out with them when they left to give to family members at home or neighbors who were alone. Gifts for children donated by Trustar Federal Credit Union were given to children who attended.
Many people who live alone came and socialized with each other. One woman said she had eaten a sandwich in her apartment alone on Christmas Day last year. She was so happy to be there, and she stayed for hours. Others alone, who were severely depressed, came to have a way to communicate and to eat with others. Meals were delivered to mill workers, people in senior care centers, Meals on Wheels recipients, the home-bound, young families in need, and those who were sick.
During the dinner, a free-will basket was present for those who wished to donate to the Falls Hunger Coalition. Over $1,100 was collected that day. Therefore, the total community monetary contribution during the Christmas season was $4,450. Add the $1,100 value of donated food and our giving spirit amounted to $5,550!
The food left over from the dinner was donated to the Koochiching Senior Center the next day. Nothing went to waste. The spirit just kept on giving.
Learning about sharing God’s love
So what did Holy Trinity learn from this Christmas Community Dinner experience?
We learned if you want to more fully share in God’s love we should get out of the church more often and go to where the people live their daily lives and want to be involved in helping others.
We learned that working ecumenically with other churches synergistically enables all of our congregations to make greater impacts within the community than when we work separately from one another. We learned that many who do not belong to a church or attend church very often want to be involved in the Christmas spirit, and this dinner project gave them a way to become involved.
We learned what Bishop Jelinek wrote about in his January e-mail to all diocesan congregations. “When we serve in communities of faith in which people have the opportunity to share in God’s grace we find again and again that God’s great love for the Church continually manifests itself in calling us to transformation and in helping us to live in love — when we let that love in. Of course, I believe God’s love is a gift to each of us. I also know that love to be a gift for all of us.”
We learned this experience helped us renew a sense of who we are and the difference we make being a part of the Body of Christ. We learned how to reflect on the Spirit’s presence in our midst — binding us together in grace and challenging and infusing us with power.
We learned how the Christmas Spirit worked through those involved in the dinner and those who learned about its success. We learned from the community that they want to make this an annual event!
The Rev. Leland H. Grim is a deacon with the Total Ministry Team
at Holy Trinity in International Falls.
As noted in the article above, this event received wide coverage in the community.
Click here to read an editorial from the International Falls Daily Journal.
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