FUSP Volunteers Cook, Serve Holiday Dinner

The First Unitarian Society of Plainfield had its largest Thanksgiving crowd yet on Thursday, numbering more than 300 guests.

Church members provided turkeys, traditional side dishes and desserts. Volunteers of all ages staffed the serving tables. Guests included people in need as well as those who just wanted to enjoy a nice dinner in the company of others.

The kitchen was a hive of activity as church members ferried pans of food from ovens and the stovetop to hot plates in the Parish Hall. A cleanup crew (including this writer) washed pans for more fill-ups.

From noon to about 2 p.m., the crowd was steady and very appreciative. Many took home extra dinners for later enjoyment at home or for relatives who could not get to the church.

FUSP makes the same effort for Christmas and Easter and all are welcome. The genius behind food provision at FUSP dinners and its food pantry is Cass Cochrane, who is also a mainstay of its Act IV Productions theater events.

FUSP's Plainfield origins date back to 1899 and one of its original benefactors was Job Male, the first mayor of Plainfield. For more information, see www.fusp.org or visit on Sundays at 10 a.m.

The church has a new minister, The Rev. Tracy Sprowls-Jenks, and is looking forward to a greater presence in the community. Rev. Tracy has already joined with other local ministers to see how best they can serve Plainfield at large as well as their diverse congregants.

--Bernice