Having said goodbye to Steve and Linda, we spent our first night on the road in Emporia in the company of our daughter’s family before heading for Florida. We were returning to Faith UMC in Jacksonville to volunteer as Nomads on 2 different projects over the next few months. We didn’t have to wait long to get to work.
Now We’re Cooking
One thing that Faith is known for is building community around meals. Whether it is a casual get-together over leftovers or a major feast for the congregation, an opportunity for breaking bread together is rarely overlooked. So, we were not completely surprised to find ourselves immersed in meal prep within a few hours of our arrival.
One thing that Faith is known for is building community around meals. Whether it is a casual get-together over leftovers or a major feast for the congregation, an opportunity for breaking bread together is rarely overlooked. So, we were not completely surprised to find ourselves immersed in meal prep within a few hours of our arrival.
Dave, Fred and Barry examine the turkeys before slicing However, the reason we had timed our arrival for early November was to assist with 2 large youth events that required the church to prepare 7 meals for 30 to 50 people over 48 hours on successive weekends. The first weekend began the morning after our arrival. We barely stopped moving for the next 3 days. At some times in the kitchen, we were serving a meal, cleaning up the meal and preparing the next meal at the same time. It was pretty amazing. The standing ovation at the end of each weekend gave us some idea that the effort was appreciated.
With the 2 big weekend events out of the way, we mistakenly thought we could “relax” a bit, having only the church’s big Thanksgiving Sunday dinner to prepare for. On Thursday, we cooked 3 big turkeys for the big meal, just in time for Pat and Fred to arrive to help us sample the three birds. We needed them to help us judge which was the best – breast-side up, breast-side down, or one cooked half and half. (Most said breast-side up surprisingly.) The next day Cathy and Pat made some dressing and we figured we were ready a couple of days early. Great!
That was before we came to fully understand the scope of the wedding plans for the Saturday night before. The chef had the menu and meal preparation for the 90 guests well in hand. So, what more did we need to do?
On Friday evening, we discovered the answer was: quite a bit.
With the 2 big weekend events out of the way, we mistakenly thought we could “relax” a bit, having only the church’s big Thanksgiving Sunday dinner to prepare for. On Thursday, we cooked 3 big turkeys for the big meal, just in time for Pat and Fred to arrive to help us sample the three birds. We needed them to help us judge which was the best – breast-side up, breast-side down, or one cooked half and half. (Most said breast-side up surprisingly.) The next day Cathy and Pat made some dressing and we figured we were ready a couple of days early. Great!
That was before we came to fully understand the scope of the wedding plans for the Saturday night before. The chef had the menu and meal preparation for the 90 guests well in hand. So, what more did we need to do?
On Friday evening, we discovered the answer was: quite a bit.
Pat tying bows for the wedding It began with the decorations of Wesley Hall for the reception. Each of the 90 chairs had to have a cover placed on it. Cathy was watching as the mother of the groom struggled to tie a large ribbon around each chair. Her offer to help was enthusiastically accepted. And the results were such that the decision was to have her do all of the chairs. After doing a dozen or so, she gladly welcomed Pat to join her in completing the remaining tables. In gratitude, the busy family served us dinner which we graciously accepted after our protests were politely ignored.
Dave and his first wedding cake Dave and Fred were not idle during the bow-tying. The tables needed to be set. And the cake needed to be decorated. Wait. That’s right. Who would have thought that Dave would be involved in decorating a wedding cake? Our services didn’t end Friday night. On Saturday, it became apparent that, although the food prep was taken care of, it wasn’t clear how it was going to get served. Ever flexible, we marshaled half a dozen Nomads to serve as chef’s assistants to get 80 meals on plates in record time. The happy couple and guests seemed to have a great time, and we were glad to be a part of it.
Angelica and Fermin, the happy couple Before we could call it a night, we needed to help clean up and transform the room back into a church fellowship hall where the Thanksgiving potluck could take place on Sunday. Three congregations – Philippine, Spanish and English were joining in one service and a common meal. We had a record attendance and Wesley Hall was bursting at the seams. It was a tremendous success, but by mid-afternoon, we were bushed. The actual Thanksgiving meal should be a breeze after this weekend.
Dave assists Bob on AC RV (and Boat) Stuff
Although the Nomads project for Faith will not start until after Thanksgiving, that doesn’t mean the campground is empty. A project team for another church is here and we’ve had the privilege of spending time with them over the three weeks of their project. (Leftovers make great meals.) So, it wasn’t surprising to see Dave on the top of another RV checking out the AC a few days after our arrival.
Although the Nomads project for Faith will not start until after Thanksgiving, that doesn’t mean the campground is empty. A project team for another church is here and we’ve had the privilege of spending time with them over the three weeks of their project. (Leftovers make great meals.) So, it wasn’t surprising to see Dave on the top of another RV checking out the AC a few days after our arrival.
Pat and Fred arrive at Faith To accommodate the influx of rigs, we needed to move the boat and a trailer owned by a church member into the parking lot the Friday after we arrived and just before most of the others were due in. It took a few days to get to it, but we were thrilled with the condition of the boat given our 7 months away. It was dry and clean under the cover, which was in excellent shape. There were no critters taking up residence, no mildew, no smells. Wow! What a relief.
So, now that we are in place for a while, our attention will turn to the projects that are priorities for the church for the next couple of months. And, of course, there will be more meals.
So, now that we are in place for a while, our attention will turn to the projects that are priorities for the church for the next couple of months. And, of course, there will be more meals.
