My meal at a previous Trinity North Morristown dinner, minus the bread and cranberries. I had cake for dessert, too. Minnesota Prairie Roots file photo.
IT IS THE SEASON of church dinners in Minnesota, which is why I’ve deviated today from the usual Minnesota Faces series to Minnesota Food.
This Sunday, October 11, Trinity Lutheran Church North Morristown, a rural parish in western Rice County, hosts its annual fall harvest dinner. I’ve been to many church dinners and this one ranks as my favorite.
Everything served here is homemade from the garden-grown potatoes and squash prepared in the church basement to the dressing, bread and more, all served with turkey and ham.
It’s a feast. And one served in good company by rural folks who welcome and engage you in friendly conversation. Go for the people, experience and setting as much as the food.
Serving begins at 11 a.m., shortly after the 9:30 a.m. worship service, which I’d also encourage you to attend. There’s something about worshiping in a small country church surrounded by farm fields that focuses thoughts on thankfulness for the harvest and all the blessings of life.
Besides the dinner, which runs until 1 p.m., Trinity also hosts a bake goods, produce and craft sale in the back room of the church basement. More goodies from gardens and kitchens plus handcrafted items.
Cost for the dinner is a reasonable $10 for ages 13 and older; $5 for ages 6 – 12; and free for ages 5 and younger.
You will leave feeling stuffed and blessed.
FYI: Dinner planners are looking for people to peel potatoes beginning at 8 a.m. Saturday.
TELL ME, DO YOU FREQUENT church dinners and do you have a favorite?
© Copyright 2015 Audrey Kletscher Helbling
Minnesota Prairie Roots 
This looks so awesome…….even at this hour!!!!!!!!
Mighty good food, yes.
Yum yum yum-Yes! The Mrs. and I had this very same dinner last weekend at St. Paul’s United Church of Christ just East of Ellsworth, WI with friends. I ran into my 2nd grade teacher at the dinner. This weekend in Swedish Meatball dinner in Bay City, WI with the same group of friends. Love this time of year and its traditions.
So the question must be asked: Did your second grade teacher remember you?
I, too, love this time of year. The dinners are as much about the food as the sense of community. Glad to hear you and Cyndie are enjoying church dinners in the company of friends.
Yes she did after I told her. She knew me back in my longer hair days.
Longer hair days, huh? Great comment that makes me smile, Dan.
Yeah…all those in the immediate area that heard the comment thought she was commenting on my thinning hair.
Should I respond to that observation?
🙂
Grab a fork and dig in – YUM! Happy Weekend – Enjoy 🙂
That’s right. And happy weekend to you also, Renee.
For some strange reason, food always tastes better on a paper plate. Maybe it is the coffee by the gallon or the kids chasing each other around – or could it be the four helpings of apple cobbler?
But note, Greg, this food is not served on a paper plate. It is served on church dinnerware, you know, those hefty plates that last through generations. It is one of the details I appreciate about church dinners.
I haven’t been to a church dinner for years. It sounds like a good time.
You must attend one. Soon.
My goodness! I’m reading this at breakfast and I daresay I would be just fine having that for breakfast this morning!! Ha ha! The only church in this town that still puts on a big Thanksgiving dinner a week or two prior to the holiday, and also does Friday night fish fries during Lent, is St. Patrick’s Catholic Church. A co-worker was a member there, and for many years while I was working outside of the home, I helped out with food preparation the day before, and helped with serving the day of Thanksgiving celebration, even though I wasn’t a member. I love that community really pulls together to support these events. I also know one of the Baptist churches here does a weekly meal for elderly folks in the community. It’s wonderful to see that some of these traditions of community are kept alive in an ever-changing world.
How kind of you to pitch in and help in your community. It will be interesting to see if these traditions continue with the next generation.
My thoughts turn to food in the fall, too – stew, specifically. Which I made last night!
Ah, stew. Love it. And all the comfort foods of the season.
I never realized how many of these church suppers there are until we moved to the country. They are usually wonderful and this one looks especially delicious!
Delicious, filling, wonderful…lots of great adjectives describe the food the folks at Trinity North Morristown prepare for the fall harvest dinner.
I showed “the girls” at work this photo right before we went to lunch today. We were all salivating, that plate of food looks amazing!!! I dont think we have much of the church dinners in town, here in Rochester…. I still think it’s a popular thing for the country churches. My mom and Dad frequent the dinners around the small towns near Rochester, (Chatfield, Kasson, and a couple down south of here like, Scheie church in Mabel where by dad is from).
Well, thanks for showing the food photo to the girls.
Great to hear your parents are church dinner fans.
You probably didn’t need to eat for two days after that feast. Delicious..
Well, not that evening anyway.