Dueling dressing and turkey cooks Jois Ross, Carl and Ruth Klein; Photography by Nancy Thomas.
Sherry Zeise
November Lunch Bunch has always been a favorite meeting of the year, because we have Thanksgiving dinner with all the trimmings and the men join us, instead of going to Outlaw Burger. This time forty-five New Life Church members and friends came to enjoy the warm congeniality of Jim and Carol Hansen. We truly enjoyed the home’s beautiful fall decorations.
Part of the enjoyment of our November Lunch Bunch was the pretend “dust-up” over the dressing! Ruthie Klein, from North Dakota, swore her Northern bread dressing was the best dish for Carl Klein’s delicious turkey. Jois Ross, native Texan, declared that only Southern cornbread dressing will do! It was great fun, and a good laugh, hearing them “jaw at each other”. We thank Carl Klein for getting up at wee hours of the morning to prepare, cook and carve the turkey. Peggy Zilinsky prepared and carved a ham, as well. Sweet potato dishes and other casseroles, salads and cranberry sauce, completed the meal. Pumpkin and pecan pie, of course, along with pumpkin bars and apple streusel cake were the desserts.
Jois called us to gather for a favorite program we all enjoy at Lunch Bunch: a hymn-sing!
Judy Fairchild accompanied us as each one named the hymn and page number. Hearty tones filled the room as some sang parts. “A little taste of heaven,” some say. The variety of hymns and gospel songs is always a blessing and a challenge, if the song is unfamiliar. Sometimes, those become “new friends” for future worship and enjoyment. That is another beautiful thing about our non-denominational church; many churches sing some different hymns that other churches don’t, so our hymn sing allows us to share those varied, delicious favorites.
As we left that day, we truly appreciated the effort by so many to make that Lunch Bunch such a blessing. That’s what Thanksgiving is all about.