What to do when there is a pandemic, Christmas is upon us, and locals are pining for a community dinner?
This was the predicament Reverends Meridyth and Gavin Robertson of First Presbyterian Church in downtown Trail found themselves in.
COVID-19, of course, has shutdown all in-person services until further notice. In that situation, the Robertson’s are keeping parishioners engaged by live streaming Sunday worship via Facebook. As well, their church groups and committees have been postponed or are running on Zoom.
With the church closed to the public, after much thought, they came up with a way to offer their annual Christmas dinner in a way that provides a hot nutritious meal to whomever would like it, while adhering to strict pandemic protocols.
This year it’s take-out only.
On Wednesday, Dec. 16 from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. the community is invited to the annual dinner they’ve come to enjoy over the years. Church volunteers will dish the meal into take-out containers.
People will line up on the sidewalk in front of the church, follow the church walkway and volunteers will meet them near the front door with their take-out turkey and ham dinner with all the fixings.
Along with each meal will be a bottle of water and a packaged cookie for dessert.