Two local churches hope to draw people closer together for Thanksgiving with meals open to the public.
Community Church of Brownstown is offering a free turkey dinner with dessert from 5 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at the church, 117 W. Tanner St., Brownstown.
“We want to show the community there are people out there that care about them, and the reason we care is because God loves us,” said Terry Fordice, pastor of the church.
Fordice said several local congregations have come together to prepare, serve and deliver the meal.
“It is amazing how many people have come together for this,” he said. “Unity is really important.”
Volunteers will come together to prepare more than donated 90 turkeys along with other food to form the meal.
Last year, volunteers delivered more than 700 meals to residents in Jackson County and served around 400 people at the church.
“The Bible tells us we should take care of one another and show them the love of Jesus Christ,” Fordice said, adding that the meal is one of the ways to show that love.
Community Church of Brownstown is among the churches that have been involved in the meal for many years, teaming up with Michie’s Diner in Brownstown before it closed.
In recent years, the cooking has been done at Community Church of Brownstown, Brownstown Christian Church and other places before being delivered by volunteers or served in-house.
“The generosity of the community has just been phenomenal,” Fordice said.
Volunteers and donations are still needed. Anyone interested may call Community Church of Brownstown at 812-358-0984, Brownstown Christian Church at 812-358-4172, 812-216-3836 or 812-528-1189.
Anyone in Jackson County who would like a meal delivered to them can call 812-528-1189 on Wednesday and arrange for delivery.
“We’re not doing it for recognition but for the glory of God,” Fordice said.
On Thanksgiving Day, The Alley will offer a free dinner from 4 to 6 p.m. at the church, 416 E. Second St., Seymour.
The meal will include turkey, ham, all of the fixings and lots of desserts, said Amber Ingalsbe, a member of The Alley’s board.
“It’s pretty much all been donated,” she said of the food.
There also will be live music from Wayne Deaton.
If someone isn’t able to drive to the church, The Alley’s van will be available to pick people up and take them home when they are ready. For that service, call Sara Ellis Bowling at 812-946-0258 or send a message via The Alley’s Facebook page.
Ingalsbe said they usually feed between 80 and 100 people, and there are many volunteers who help serve food, talk to people attending the meal and help with cleanup.
“We always take volunteers. If anybody would come in, we would find something for them to do,” she said. “There’s a bunch of us from the church that will just sit down and have conversations with them and no judging, just feed them and love them. It’s somewhere to go and somewhere safe.”
The Alley serves free dinners Monday through Friday throughout the year, including Thanksgiving.
Ingalsbe said police officers and firefighters working on the holiday also are invited to Thursday’s meal.
“We just want to reach out and love God and love people,” she said. “There are just so many people out there from broken homes or (deal with) addiction or whatever that maybe don’t have family or somewhere to go on Thanksgiving. We just want to be there for the broken and the hungry and poor or whatever.”
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What: Thanksgiving meals
When: 5 to 8 p.m. Wednesday and 4 to 6 p.m. Thursday
Where: On Wednesday at Community Church of Brownstown, 117 W. Tanner St., Brownstown, and on Thursday at The Alley, 416 E. Second St., Seymour
Who: Open to the public
Cost: Free
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