On the Menu: Fellowship, Food and Fun

If, tonight, you decide you don't feel like cooking, don't. Instead, you can partake of a  Thanksgiving Harvest Supper—for free—and with fellowship, love and laughter all part of the meal.

Turkey and the trimmings are on this month's menu for the of Geneva's Third Tuesday Community Supper, held—you guessed it—the third Tuesday of every month.

There is no charge. Dinners are served from 5 to 7 p.m.

The suppers were born in the summer of 2009, when friends Gayle Taylor, Carol Nunns and Beth Kucera were talking together. They were considering how to heed the call from the church pulpit to be involved in the community, to do as Christ teaches, and "love God and love our neighbors," Kucera said.

They realized many people in the community were hurting. Budgets were stretched thin, the day was stretched thin, people were lonely, some families were frenzied, and didn't eat dinner together. 

Thus was born the idea of hosting a community dinner, free to one and all. 

"If you figure out at 10 minutes to 5 you'd like a meal, put on your coat and come over and have a meal," Kucera said. 

The first meal was held in October 2009. They served 119 meals. Last month, on the one-year anniversary, the group served about 580 people. "We love it," Kucera said. "Third Tuesday Supper is the place to be the third Tuesday of every month." And indeed, you are probably nearly guaranteed of seeing someone you know there, from throughout the area. 

Prep work usually starts the day before, with eight to 10 people working. Approximately 35 to 40 volunteers work the Tuesdays of the supper, many from outside the church family who simply want to help. 

In fact, unlike some endeavors where helpers are hard to come by, "I can honestly say we do not have trouble getting volunteers," Kucera said.

More than a year after beginning, have there been unexpected blessings in the suppers? Kucera considered.

"One is that people are so incredibly happy and startled that there is something so good that is coming to them, 'just because,' " she said. "I didn't expect people to be so thankful and so verbal about their thanks. I knew people would enjoy a good meal and good fellowship. I didn't expect people to say, 'Why are you doing this? I come here and feel so good when I'm here.' " 

The trio is also very, very pleased that Third Tuesday Supper is self-supporting. Donations are welcome, of course. Some come in to the church office, some are given to workers the night of the suppers.

"We get checks for $5, we get checks for $100," Kucera said. The Quiet Can sits unobtrusively on the dessert table, and those who are able to, and want to, may walk over and quietly put a donation in it. Paypal donations are accepted on the website.

"Right now it's supporting itself," Kucera said. "That's been an incredible blessing."

What the future holds is uncertain, of course. "We have limits in our building and our chairs," Kucera pointed out. "In the future, we may have to expand serving hours by a half-hour. We'll see."

The third Tuesday Community Suppers—and once again, they're free!—are held from 5 to 7 p.m. the third Tuesday of every month in the second-floor dining hall of United Methodist Church of Geneva, Second and Hamilton streets, downtown. 

The Thanksgiving Harvest Supper will feature roast turkey and gravy, homemade mashed potatoes, stuffing, green beans, cranberry sauce, bread rolls, tossed salad, autumn-themed homemade desserts and lemonade, coffee and milk. Hot dogs and chips are available every month.

A Festive Holiday Supper is set for Dec. 21. For more information see http://thirdtuesdaysuppers.com.