Beans and CornBread

Queen City church reaches community with special dinner

For one day each month, the women of Queen City’s First United Methodist Church turn beans and cornbread into a program of community outreach.

“On the first Monday, we serve beans, cornbread and dessert. Everyone invited, all free,” said Elouise Buzbee, whose idea it was to serve others to show appreciation for her own good gifts in her church life.

It all started when Elouise went before the church’s administrative council to say she’d like to start serving beans and cornbread.

“Simple and everyone likes it,” she told the board. The members agreed quite readily.

“It’s one of best things we do to reach outside our own fellowship,” pastor Rev. Don Lewis said. “Some people never miss.”

So, about 10 a.m. each first Monday, the women of the congregation start bringing the food. Serving is from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m.

“It’s a pretty big project. I brought five pans of cornbread and six quarts of relish this day. All gone,” Elouise said of Monday’s serving, when almost 40 people showed up.

“To begin, we sing a few songs and I give a short devotional,” the pastor said. “Real short,” he added with a laugh. While the desserts go quickly, it’s the Mexican cornbread that goes the fastest. Some of those who bring beans include Martha Godwin with lima beans, Judy Calleo, Cynthia Haaland and Elouise herself with pinto beans and other kinds.

Carolyn Heldt makes a big contribution by making the table decorations for the fellowship hall. She does this for many occasions. “The people love it,” Elouise said, adding that they recently began making deliveries of dinners to those unable to come. “I delivered six dinners today,” she said.

The outreach is all voluntary. No money or funding is involved. It’s a way the Queen City church tries to be involved with its community, Lewis said.

The church is also known for allowing the community to use its fellowship hall.

Lewis said he personally enjoys the beans and cornbread days because he gets to tell those unchurched or from other denominations, “You’re honorary Methodists today, and we Methodists like to eat all the time.”

Staff photo by Neil Abeles Serving plenty of beans and cornbread at Queen City First United Methodist Church is part of the church’s community outreach. The happy servers are, from left, Martha Godwin, Elouise Buzbee, Carolyn Heldt, Joy Boone, Cynthia Willis and Cynthia Haaland.

Staff photo by Neil Abeles Serving and gathering food are part of Queen City First Methodist Church’s beans and cornbread first Monday dinner. The Rev. Don Lewis and Glenda Martin contribute to the food table.