Friendsgiving Community Dinner

Our congregation’s year-long participation in Luther Seminary’s “Funding Forward” program culminated in a two-part Funding Forward “experiment” in November. Our experimental project was comprised of a ticketed dining experience (the “banquet”) in which twelve guests joined with a local chef for hands-on instruction in the preparation of a special menu and then enjoyed sharing the meal together. Our “celebrity chef” was our own Christina Ross, Johnson and Wales trained chef, chef/owner of three restaurants in Indonesia where Christina is from. The evening was amazing!

Christina and her good friend/chef, Katherine, prepped, prepared and demonstrated a festival meal from Indonesia, while Brook Ross shared historical and cultural context for the special dishes being prepared. Guests took part in the preparations and were treated to the feast they helped to create.

Proceeds from the tickets for the Beneficent Banquet are being directed toward food insecurity in our region by supporting the Jonnycake Center’s food programs, the We Share Hope food rescue and a free community meal, a “Friendsgiving Dinner,” here at KCC, that was open to all. The ingredients were resourced from local farms and the food rescue “We Share Hope” (www.wesharehope.org), and donations from several local businesses and community groups. Chef Jeffrey Cooke and Michelle Girasole, as well as many KCC volunteers, prepped, prepared and cleaned up. Over a hundred people enjoyed fresh food and warm welcome! The truly collaborative effort of faith community, non-profit, individual and business contributors was an inspiration and a joy!

Thank you to all the generous contributors: