St. Paul UMC Feeds Hundreds in Thanksgiving Day Community Feast
Photo Courtesy of: David McGlocklin
St. Paul's Methodist Church of San Bernardino members, other UMC members, and volunteers hosted their Third Annual Thanksgiving Day Feast. They gather here before eating for a photo.
Photo Courtesy of: David McGlocklin
Those attending found their seats and patiently waited to be served.
Photo Courtesy of: David McGlocklin
Clothes, shoes, and bags of food were given away during St. Paul's United Methodist Church San Bernardino.
Photo Courtesy of: Kimberly Cooper
Pastor David McGlocklin explained the church fed up to 600 people on Thanksgiving Day.
Photo Courtesy of: Kimberly Cooper
John Atu shared he strives to make the message of thanks one that is year-rround for him.
Photo Courtesy of: Kimberly Cooper
Husband and wife Bert and Liz Roark take a slight break after cooking in the kitchen during St. Paul's United Methodist Church.
Photo Courtesy of: Kimberly Cooper
Cynthia Vitto is a volunteer. She and her family have helped out with the community Thanksgiving feast during its three years.
Photo Courtesy of: Kimberly Cooper
Patricia and John Richardson hold up one of the six turkeys that had been cooked and was ready to serve.
By Kimberly Cooper
Community Writer
12/04/2013 at 03:36 PM
Thanksgiving Day was one filled with abundance and thanks as families in need gathered at St. Paul's United Methodist Church on Nov. 28 - Thanksgiving Day - for the third annual free Thanksgiving Community Feast, providing a variety of goods from baked and fried turkeys, to baked items, clothes, shoes, blankets, and medical kits for those in need.
After an opening prayer led by Pastor David McGlocklin to bless the food, McGlocklin shared, “This truly blesses my heart as the pastor of this church, that we are able to be of service to the community. It is time to share the thankfulness within our hearts.”
Giving his helping hand while in the kitchen, along with many other church members and volunteers, John Atu, Assistant Pastor of Colton’s United Methodist Church, explained, “I am grateful. This is one of the ways we all can give back to God and to the people of God. It should be an ongoing thing, and that is where we are all trying to lead the church. I believe that we are being able to be filled with the spirit of God with gratitude and thankfulness.”
With her husband Bert Roark by her side, Liz Roark said, “It is such an awesome thing! Every year we have asked for volunteers and food, and God provides. It is a wonderful way of showing that God is alive and working among us.”
Assisting in the room filled with canned goods donated by many volunteers, husband and wife John and Patricia Richardson both agreed that helping with St. Paul's Community Feast was "the most rewarding experience.”
Volunteer Cynthia Vitto said, “My family has always served on Thanksgiving. It is our family’s belief that if you have enough, then you have enough to give. So we are here every year to make sure we are giving to others, and to make sure that everybody has clothes to wear and food to eat.”
The Thanksgiving Community Feast continued throughout the day until 3 p.m., where many in attendance were provided with to-go grocery bags to take additional food with them.
