COBDEN — There was a great variety of delicious food. There was opportunity to socialize. The entertainment was great. These three things were what made the third annual ecumenical Christmas dinner a superb event.
Instead of one church being in charge of the potluck event, jobs were shared this year, said Rev. Patrica Van Gelder. Grace United Church was in charge of the punch while Grace Mick of St. Pius Catholic Church was in charge of co-ordinating the entertainment and being the emcee for the evening.
The beautifully, decorated Cobden Agricultural Hall was courtesy of Vera and Stewart McBride and their crew. The hall had been decorated for the Cobden Business Association’s annual Christmas party, held the evening before.
Rev. Van Gelder said it’s the easiest event to decide on the date.
“We want the day after the Cobden Business Association’s Christmas dinner,” she said.
The annual Christmas dinner began when more and more friends were being invited to the Presbyterian Christmas dinner, she recalled.
“It was suggested that the churches get together and hold a Christmas dinner,” Rev. Van Gelder said.
The first year there were about 150 people who attended and last year that number doubled, she said. This year there were about 135 people. She believes the low number of people was due to the weather, which had been forecasting freezing rain.
The next challenge is to bridge the gap between those who go to church and those who don’t, she said.
The agricultural hall is used because no church hall could hold this many people, she said. The hall is paid for through the good will offering collected as people enter the hall. Rev. Van Gelder said if there isn’t enough to cover the hall expense, the Presbyterian Church covers it.
“I think last year it was five bucks,” she said.
Rev. Van Gelder said it’s great when people can come together and celebrate with good food and entertainment.
