HARLINGEN — Pastor David Payne pulled out the church’s best china and welcomed the community into the First United Methodist Church for its annual Thanksgiving celebration.
“This is our chance every year to welcome the community into our church,” Payne said. “We want to let the community know that somebody cares about them.”
Payne led in saying a prayer over the food with more than 200 people seated in the church community center yesterday.
Guests were allowed to eat as much as they wanted.
Only an hour had passed and 250 meals had already been served to families and people in need.
It marked the sixth year in a row the First United Methodist Church has hosted its Thanksgiving celebration for the community to enjoy.
Payne said it has become a tradition for the church to step in and provide the community with a meal on Thanksgiving Day in support of Loaves and Fishes.
Thanksgiving is the one day out of the year that the Loaves and Fishes kitchen is closed.
“We do this one day out of the year, but Loaves and Fishes does it twice a day, every day,” Payne said.
“We are so grateful for them doing that on a day-to-day basis for the community.”
More and more people continued to enter the doors of the church community center until 1 p.m.
“This is nice for the community, and it’s a real blessing,” said Carlos Zamora, a Harlingen resident. “Having a meal for the community is a good thing.”
Church parishioners and volunteers served the people their Thanksgiving meal.
It all started with the church men’s group who began cooking 32 turkeys by frying them from 7 a.m. until 11 a.m. to get the holiday delicacy prepared for the community.
Jordan Phipps and his mother Lisa helped serve the meals and desert to the many guests at the church.
Lisa said her family helps out the church Thanksgiving celebration every year.
“It’s a blessing,” said David Guajardo, a Harlingen resident. “I come here and I feel at home.”
Guajardo attended the church celebration with his family.
“I feel at home, they are like family to us,” Guajardo said. “I’m looking forward to coming again next year.”
Pastor Payne said the Thanksgiving celebration is a neat way for the church to share the love of God with the community.
“We just want them to feel pampered,” Payne said. “And we want them to walk out of here full.”
