Diners pray before eating during the 2018 Christmas Day dinner at Grace United Methodist Church. This year’s free event will be held Dec. 25, with carry-out and dine in options.
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For much of Johnson County, Christmas Day is a time to gather with family, traditionally around a big meal to celebrate the season.
But many other people don’t have that experience. They don’t have family to come together with, or don’t have the resources for a holiday feast.
They deserve a place to celebrate, said Joe Sanford, pastor at Grace United Methodist Church.
“It’s just one meal, and people might be hungry the next day if that’s all they get. But at least on Christmas Day, for all it means, they’ll have a place to come to have a hot meal,” he said.
Grace will once again host its Christmas Day dinner, a free banquet open to the entire community. People can come to the church for ham, mashed potatoes, green beans, rolls and dessert — everything needed to celebrate to holiday together.
While the dinner is an opportunity for the church to share with the community, it continues to address the issue of food insecurity throughout Johnson County, Sanford said.
“It goes a long way in feeding the energy that happens throughout the rest of the year,” he said. “We’re having conversations about how we can really come beside people throughout the year who are having a hard time. We already work with a few groups, and we’re trying to really focus on what the next step is.”
Grace United Methodist Church started the outreach effort in the wake of the 2008 recession. The discussion started with wanting to offer a free meal — similar to the annual Johnson County Thanksgiving Banquet — that the entire community could enjoy.
When the first dinner was hosted in 2008, church volunteers served 60 people. Recent Christmases have seen more than 800 people fed, including in 2020, when the event was drive-through and delivery only. They’re anticipating approximately that number of people again, Sanford said.
In the 15 years since it was founded, the event has become a tradition, not only for the people who come to dine at the church, but for the congregation as well. Families volunteer at the event together, and sit down to eat after their shifts are done.
The church takes great joy in being able to present the dinner to the community, Sanford said.
“They love being a part of the community and feeling like what they’re doing as a part of this church really matters in significant ways,” he said. “It’s something that’s become a part of their Christmas celebration, and really connects to what the season is all about.”
Carry-out meals can be picked up from 2:30 to 4 p.m., and a dine-in meal is scheduled from 5 to 6:30 p.m.
“It’s going to be what we’ve done in the past — it seems to have been successful, so we’ll keep it going,” Sanford said.
IF YOU GO
Christmas dinner
What: A free holiday meal provided through delivery, carry-out or dine-in. The event is open to the public.
When: Dec. 25
Where: Grace United Methodist Church, 1300 E. Adams Drive, Franklin
Schedule: 2:30-4 p.m. for carry-out, 5-6:30 p.m. dine in.
Information: franklingrace.org
