Community and church members gathered Nov. 19, 2017, to give thanks and enjoy a Thanksgiving feast at the Hayden Lake Church in Hayden, Idaho. This annual event is hosted by the church’s Community Services, and this year more than 125 people attended.
Rose Shevitz, community services leader, and Livia Ivascu have teamed up to host this dinner for eight years now. “It takes a lot of planning and a lot of dedicated workers to do what we do every year," Ivascu says. "Many hands make it possible to get the work done. Rose and I would not have been able to do this without all the help of others.”
The majority of the food was made on-site the morning of the gathering, with teens and young adults working together assembling egg rolls and empanadas under Shevitz’s direction. Lori Parker and her decorating committee worked early in the morning getting the fellowship hall ready for the special event.
After an opening prayer, Laurinda Toews led out in songs of thankfulness, and Jorge Baute, pastor, shared a devotional thought. Guests enjoyed multiple special music presentations and were served a beautiful meal, followed by a testimony service where all were invited to share how the Lord has blessed them.
Community Services opens at 11:45 a.m. each Tuesday for Bible study, songs and prayer, followed by a hot meal at 12:30 p.m. The doors to the food and clothing banks are also opened at this time. Community services team member Susan Stilwell reports there are many people in serious need who come for help and Tuesdays are a great opportunity to “talk with them, pray with them and meet their needs.”
The community services team has built relationships with the some of the folks who come regularly. Around the middle of December, Shevitz and her team select certain families who attend community services regularly and fill boxes with all the ingredients needed for a Christmas feast, including toys for the families with children and clothing items. Boxes are delivered personally to each family as a surprise. “It’s a lot of fun,” Stilwell says enthusiastically.
“It’s a privilege to be able to do this ministry because it’s helping people. You don’t have to look for people; they come to you,” says Shevitz. The passion each member of community services has for what they do shines through clearly as they speak of the work they do. “Praise be to God for the things we do here," she adds. "We get a double blessing” — sentiments shared by the entire team involved in this vital ministry of the church.
The food preparation team gets to work in the morning to prepare the Thanksgiving feast.
Sarah and SueEllen Baute serve guests.
The bountiful feast features many food choices.
The feast includes singing songs of praise.
The Williams children provide special music for the event.
