East St. Louis church opens its doors, so no one has to eat alone on Thanksgiving
Darius Miller, Morning Star Missionary Baptist Church’s senior pastor, comes from a large family. During the holiday season, he is surrounded by loved ones to celebrate with.
Two years ago, when Miller took on the leadership role at the church, he realized not everyone is that lucky. With that realization came the inception of the 95-year-old church’s first free Community Thanksgiving Day Dinner, a now-annual event when the church opens its doors to people in the community from all walks of life and welcomes them to eat a traditional Thanksgiving meal with its congregation.
“It’s really about loving on your community and sitting down with your neighbors, because everybody is your neighbor,” Miller said Thursday, during this year’s event. At 11:30 a.m., the church was expecting to welcome more than 300 guests through its doors.
For weeks, members of the church handed out fliers for the event at businesses, schools, shelters, nursing homes and charitable organizations in the metro-east, inviting anyone who may be alone on Thanksgiving to make it out to 616 Garfield Hubbard Blvd. in East St. Louis. The day of, members of the church gave people in the community rides to the church and even sent boxed meals to a nursing home in Alorton.
“I figured the church would show up for our community,” Miller said.
And show up it did.
Inside the church’s banquet hall, 20 tables were decorated with autumn tablecloths and centerpieces, with places set for 10 people at each table. The decorations were done by Hannah Washington, a member of the church for 40 years who spent her morning helping out at the event. First responders who had to work on the holiday even had a reserved table at the front of the room.
“I like the idea of giving back to others with the rest of my congregation,” Washington said. “It’s about restoring blessings to those who may not have others to eat with on Thanksgiving.”
Washington was one of more than 50 volunteers who signed up to help. Family and friends of congregation members also came to help greet, serve, set up and take down, cook and sit with the guests. One thing that made Morning Star’s Thanksgiving event unique is that members of the church sit down and engage with the guests who show up.
People of all ages were given tasks to make sure the event ran smoothly and that a festive atmosphere was kept up. Children as young as 5 years old brought desserts to guests, and retired folks, like Denise Hughes, greeted guests as they came in through the big front doors and into the bright, white hall.
“I love the Lord, and I’m doing what he’d have me do,” Hughes said Thursday morning, before the event started. “He woke me up with a heart and a mind to serve, and it brings me great joy to do so.”
Linda Hughes, who was on the volunteer team that cooked the lunch, had been at the church since 5:30 a.m. Thursday to prepare the meal. On the menu was turkey, stuffing, green beans, corn, mashed potatoes and gravy, cranberry sauce and a wide array of desserts: sweet potato pie, pound cake, coffee cake and chocolate cake. She and eight other people had been preparing all week, starting with grocery shopping after church last Saturday.
“We’re prepared for a lot of people to come through, and we’re happy to put the work in,” said Linda Hughes, who has been a member of Morning Star for almost 57 years. “You can come here to get a meal and some Jesus.”
Following the morning service led by Pastor Deveraux Hubbard, of Peoria, volunteers set out a table in the hall filled with 75 care packages to take home for guests who may not have necessities. The packages included socks, gloves, hats, deodorant, lotion, toothbrushes and toothpaste.
Gail Fenton, a member of the church for 15 years who spearheaded the making of the care packages, said that the idea came from “the heart of people.”
“It’s knowing that people are in need, and these are everyday, basic supplies that people will use for their daily living,” Fenton said.
For church members like Angela Hubbard, who came to serve food with her daughter, Alexis, an event like this is “the brightest time of the year.”
“We don’t care who it is that comes through the doors,” she said. “We’re here to welcome you. Let whoever it is come on through.”
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