Local church to host free Christmas dinner

Christmas is a time to be with family, but some people can’t for various reasons.

There are plenty of people in Williston who don’t have their families with them during the holidays. With this in mind, Williston’s First Lutheran Church is inviting one and all to its annual community Christmas dinner.

The dinner is from 1-3 p.m. on Christmas Day at the church located at 916 Main St. The main course includes ham and turkey, sweet potatoes, salad and pumpkin pie among the many fixings, said Bob Eynon, dinner co-chair.

The impetus for the community dinner is the fact the restaurants in town are closed on Christmas Day, said Eynon.

“We felt there were a lot of people who needed a place to go for Christmas dinner,” he said.

The church has been hosting the dinner for about a decade. About 250 people attended the dinner last year. The meal is free and is a good opportunity for people to be with others on Christmas Day, he said.

Musical entertainment also is part of the event, as Eynon said the church’s music director has a special program planned.

The church receives donations from parishioners, businesses and vendors in town to host the meal which includes fixing about 60-70 pounds of ham and 100 pounds of turkey, he said.

Eynon and co-chair David Brevik get up early on Christmas Day to get things started and additional volunteers assist in the preparations. The volunteers each have special roles in the dinner, including one woman who is known for providing sweet potatoes, Eynon said. He emphasize that the dinner is for everyone.

“Everyone’s welcome. Come as you are,” he said.

If you need a ride, call the church office at 572-6363.