GIVING THANKS

Community members enjoy an early Thanksgiving dinner

Nothing goes better on a cold rainy day than a delicious meal.

Community members were treated to that feeling Saturday during the seventh annual community Thanksgiving meal hosted by five area churches. The meal was held at Pottstown Middle School and guests were not only able to enjoy a Thanksgiving meal with all the fixings but also participated in group prayer and enjoyed a dance performance by Warriors of the Lord and Victory.

“New Life Assembly of God used to have an annual Thanksgiving dinner just in the church. Then when the Lord blessed us with our building across the street from the fire company we just decided, ‘You know what, we’ve been enjoying this ourselves every year with members of the church, why don’t we put it out to the public,’” said Rev. Charles Cedeno of New Life Assembly of God.

The event garnered lots of volunteers to help with the preparations including greeters, servers and ministries that came to help cook the food.

“The turkeys were cooked at home. There were people that volunteered to cook the turkeys and they brought them in. All the other food as been cooked here. Desserts and turkeys were brought in but the

vegetables are all cooked here,” explained Barbara Books with Manna Ministries. “We like to serve. My church is a Manna Ministry. Every Sunday at our church after church is over we have a meal for everybody. Every year we’ve been here doing the cooking part.”

Volunteers weren’t the only ones who showed up in droves. The public also responded well to the invitation. For the past seven years more and more people have been showing up to the annual event. Pastors said Saturday that it’s more than just the delicious meal that keeps them coming back.

“I came upon this three years ago and I just fell in love with the fellowship, the word that’s being spread. It brings the community together,” said Rev. Garrison Lockley of

MARIAN DENNIS — DIGITAL FIRST MEDIA Hundreds of community members showed up to Pottstown Middle School Saturday to celebrate Thanksgiving early. Guests enjoyed a Thanksgiving meal, group prayer and a dance performance.

MARIAN DENNIS — DIGITAL FIRST MEDIA Guests clapped during a song performed before a Thanksgiving dinner that was served at Pottstown Middle School Saturday. The meal was put together by several area churches for the seventh year.

MARIAN DENNIS — DIGITAL FIRST MEDIA Bethel AME Church. “We could be doing so many other things but if we could just give back and bring each other together in moments like this,it makes our community better, it makes the world better as well.” Churches and ministries that helped make...

MARIAN DENNIS — DIGITAL FIRST MEDIA Turkey, stuffing, green beans and sweet potatoes were among some of the holiday foods served during a community Thanksgiving meal put on by area churches Saturday.

MARIAN DENNIS — DIGITAL FIRST MEDIA Dancers from Warriors of the Lord and Victory performed for community members Saturday during the community Thanksgiving celebration at Pottstown Middle School.