Last night, Melissa Seehorn and wonderful daughter Caroline and I took food donated by Steve Fulton, the Sisters Circle and the Giving Garden to Antioch UMC for the final PT Family Fun Night of the year. (Today is the last day of programming for PT this summer.) I had been out of town for our two reading weeks and had not been there at all so I really hadn’t felt connected to the program this summer. We really had no idea of how many folks would show up because these families have complicated lives and being able to RSVP for an event doesn’t work in their world so we used Pastor James Coles’ theory of “loaves and fishes” and made our best guess.
We were setting food up, cutting the watermelons with terrible knives, and trying to find our way around the much used Antioch UMC kitchen when families started pouring in at 5:30. Melissa was so worried we didn’t have enough food and started looking for some place to go get something to supplement our food. Pastor James walked into the kitchen about 5:45 and she asked his advice and that’s when he threw up his hands and said “loaves and fishes, Melissa!” He pulled out two large Costco pizzas and we put them in the warmer where the squash and roasted potatoes had just come out of and all concerns were mostly laid to rest. Well, to be honest, Melissa was worried until we sat down with plates after everyone had been offered seconds:)
We had a lovely food line where the families came first and I let them choose a chicken leg, a hot dog or a half piece of pizza and then they chose from a lovely vegetable tray, sliced tomatoes, potato salad, coleslaw, cucumber salad, squash casserole and roasted potatoes all made from the bounty of our incredible garden and watermelon and chips from the Sisters Circle. It was a beautiful meal that shared the best of Franklin First and they were so appreciative. The families lingered at the tables and talked after they finished eating and I passed out seconds of Steve’s famous grilled chicken legs and Melissa’s wonderful cookies. I heard one father tell his daughter 3 times “we have to go in 10 minutes” but he seemed to be enjoying relaxing and knowing his daughter was playing with friends in a bouncy house supervised by some very nice young adults. The Antioch UMC loyal friends showed up as usual and they were gracious as they always are to me. When the folks could finally convince their kids it was time to leave, they picked up bags of tomatoes and potatoes and pickle jars filled with beautiful zinnias to take home with them and I pray that they will know there are many United Methodists who love them and value them.
Thanks to everyone on this team who helped make this lovely, memorable night happen.
~ Janie Luna, Project Transformation Volunteer