Feeding many needs: Shared supper brings community together

By Don Murtha

Every Wednesday evening is like a Christmas family gathering at dinner for a cross-section of the people of Silverton when they come to eat at the Silverton First Christian Church.

There is no preaching and no appeals to join the church. There is just a warm meal and friendship for those who need it and those who are able to give it.

“We are not here to save your soul,” said Cherry Hoffman, one of the original organizers of the Wednesday dinners. “We just prepare a warm meal for those who want to come.”

The meals always include a warm entrée, vegetables, potatoes or other starch, milk, water, coffee and a variety of desserts.

In addition, there is warm socializing among friendly people.

The Wednesday night dinners were the concept of Karen Brock who joined with Hoffman, Julie Bersin and Lynn Keoneg. When the recession struck and people lost their jobs and homes, the four women asked themselves, “What can we do to help?”

They approached the church board with the meals idea and were given permission to use the church kitchen and gathering room.

“The board also gave a pledge of $100 to help, which we never used,” said Hoffman. “We never had to.”

The first dinner was served in the fall of 2008. They served spaghetti and 37 people came. The next Wednesday they served ham and 60 people came. The next week 75 people came.

Last month, on Nov. 16, they served 416 meals. The record so far is 451 meals. The total for the three years is 47,221 meals.

“Now we can’t stop,” Hoffman said.

Pastor Steve Knox said after the first weeks they became aware of a broader calling.

At first we were just feeding the stomach,” he said. “But after a while we realized we were feeding a lot off different hungers – the hunger to connect with others, the hunger for hope.”

They serve people of every walk of life, from poor, lonely and homeless to those who are well-heeled and have good homes.

“They all come together as a community and enjoy each others company. Some families bring their children and others come as couples and others come alone. Every one is welcome,” said Pastor Knox.

Holidays are special. The Thanksgiving dinner included turkey with the trimmings.

The dinning hall is already decked out for Christmas. The dinner on the Wednesday before Christmas will feature baked ham, Hoffman said. They plan a festive event with singing of carols around the piano.

Everything comes from donations, although Hoffman has her own idea of the source.

“It all comes from God,” she said, “We were flying by the seat of our pants and didn’t know where this was going. God intervenes.”

The food flows in from many sources.

The Marion Polk Food Share has been a major provider, but dozens of anonymous donors have made a major difference.

“Some one would come in to eat and soon we would get a check in the mail. We got a big check from someone in Canby. We have gotten donations from Oregon City, Salem,  Keizer,  Albany and all over,” Hoffman said.

In addition, those who can afford to will leave donations in a jar at the end of the serving table. The cash is deposited in the church general fund but ear marked for the meals and used to buy food.

“We never asked for a nickel, never sent out appeals. People of good will know what it costs to do this and they come through for us,” Pastor Knox said.

Word of the success of the Wednesday meals spread throughout the church community and offers of assistance flowed in.

“Father William at St. Paul’s Catholic Church was so impressed he wanted to provide help from his parsonage. He said, Let us take one Wednesday,” said Pastor Knox. St. Paul’s sends volunteers to help serve and clean up on the first Wednesday evening meal each month.

Soon others joined in. On the second Wednesdays, World Outreach and the Boy Scouts from the Church of the Latter Day Saints do the serving and cleanup. The Silverton Friends Church serves on the third Wednesday. The Marquam Methodist Church also takes a turn. But the Silverton Christian Church still has the major roll in the effort.

“Our cooks are the greatest,” said Hoffman. “We all have our talents. There are the ladies who bake the bread every morning, those who cook and those who help in other ways. Some of us come in at 9 a.m. and don’t leave until 8 p.m.”

Volunteers also deliver warm meals to shut-ins.

“We deliver 15 to 20 meals every Wednesday,” she said.

The meals are served every Wednesday evening throughout the year and the volunteers see no end to the free offering.

“We help people down on their luck and we can’t stop that,” Hoffman said.