SIKESTON -- The free monthly meals offered by a Sikeston church are ways the church members say they can be a blessing to others in the community.
And the Thanksgiving-style community dinner offered this month is no exception to that sentiment.
Once again the Green Memorial Church of God in Christ will provide a free meal for the public from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Nov. 11 at the church, located at 113 Clayton Ave. in Sikeston.
For several years, the Sikeston church has offered the free monthly dinners on the last Wednesday of the month.
"They used to have a monthly dinner at the church on Dixie Street, but then it faded," said Rita Savage, meal organizer. "One night several years ago, we were in Tuesday night Bible class and talked about mission in our community."
The idea to start offering the free monthly meals again arose from the conversation, and that's exactly what happened, said Savage, who is also the president of the Green Memorial COGIC's mission board.
"There are hungry people in Sikeston, and we wanted to be a blessing to them and we do not turn anyone away," Savage said.
The church partners with Southeast Missouri Food Bank and United States Department of Agriculture to offer the meal, Savage said.
"It's a big, family fellowship on the last Wednesday of each month," Savage said. "We have some people who come regularly. They just come out and eat and it's designed to be a sit-down-and-eat meal."
A few years ago the church members began offering a Thanksgiving-style meal in November earlier than the monthly dinner's regular time.
"The last Wednesday of the month is right before Thanksgiving, and we wanted to give our volunteers time to get dinners ready for their own families so we moved it to the second Wednesday of November," Savage said.
The November meal menu includes chicken and dressing, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, green beans, corn, giblet gravy, rolls and a drink.
For the complete story, see an upcoming edition of the Standard Democrat.