Can you imagine feeding more than 100 people every week? If your family is like most, trying to find meals that everyone likes becomes a challenge. What if you had to attempt to prepare meals that would please over 100 people? Every week this group of people takes on the task of preparing and serving our Wednesday night fellowship meal and, they do it with servant’s hearts. They see it as part of their ministry through Eastmont.
Linda Blocker has been a part of the fellowship meal team for about five years and has taken the lead since meals resumed following the pandemic closure. She sets the menu with input from others and then develops a shopping list. Because of food and supply shortages, she often spends Tuesdays shopping for items that are not available through the food service from which Eastmont orders routinely. You will likely find her at Eastmont by 9:00 am on Wednesday mornings or no later than 11:00 am already working on the meal for Wednesday night.
Her team begins to arrive around 3:00 pm to prepare salads, cut up and plate desserts, and prepare kids’ meals. Another crew arrives at about the same time to prepare tea, coffee, water, and juice for kids’ meals. Those who collect money and greet members arrive in time for the meal to be served promptly at 5:00 pm. Then a clean-up crew arrives around 5:00 pm, often coming from work, to wash dishes, take out the trash, wipe down counters, and leave the kitchen ready for use before morning.
When asked why she and her team do it, Linda said, “It gives us a lot of satisfaction to have a meal ready at 5:00 so when people get here it is ready to be served.” She says that she has met several new people whom she would not have had an opportunity to meet otherwise. Ultimately, they all do it because they love the Lord!
Wednesday night meals are about so much more than eating a meal. It is a time to meet and fellowship with other believers and to get to know others in our church family. If you are not coming on Wednesdays, give it a try. Best of all, it’s a meal you don’t have to cook or clean up! The next time you enjoy a Wednesday night fellowship meal, make sure you let these hard-working servants know how much you appreciate them! If you are looking for a place to serve, they would welcome you to their team.