Breaking Bread as a Community

The folks with the Franklin County Ministerial Association are inviting one and all to their first free community meal scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 7 at the Hampton United Methodist Church.

The meal, which will be made possible by the FCMA and their church members, is greatly blessed by two $250 Thrivent grants and special discounts from Fareway, said event organizers.

On the menu that day: chilli, potato soup, beef burgers and cookie bars.

The alternate date for the Feb. 7 community meal, in case of bad weather, will be Saturday, Feb. 21. That decision will be announced by Feb. 6 if it's going to happen.

The masterminds behind the event: First Congregational Church UCC Pastors Karen Koenig and Peggy Allison and Hampton United Methodist Church Kitchen Manager Pat Sackvile. For them, this meal is all about bringing the community together.

“We don’t care if you go to church!” Sackville said. “Everyone is welcome! Church is about community and that’s what we’re doing.”

The FCMA, which has been around for decades, includes representatives from many churches in the county, and they hold events throughout the year, including regular pastor panels, weekly prayer breakfasts, church services at the Senior Center and church services at the Franklin County Fairgrounds. The weekly prayer breakfasts, which have been meeting for the last 50 years, are led by one of the pastors with the association.

“One of the wonders of the FCMA is that we all listen to each other and come to a consensus and as in the case of the community meal, we are willing to try new things,” said Allison. "This is all done out of love."

The FCMA's next pastor panel is set for April 7 at the Windsor Theatre. It will begin at 6 p.m. that evening. Aside from their regular events, the organization also offers financial support to those in need.

The Franklin County Ministerial Association is made up of Joseph Dunnwald, with Immanuel UCC; Kevin Earleywine, with St. Patrick's Catholic Church; Brian Rihner, with the Church of the Living Word; Rob Anderstrom, with Faith Baptist Church; Peggy Allison and Karen Koenig, with First Congregational Church; Caitlin Tauro, with St. Paul Lutheran; Dennis Burns, with Hampton United Methodist Church; Shawn Alldredge, with First Grace Baptist Church and Ryne Reyes with Youth for Christ.