Tom Henihan
Approximately 80 people attended the Stew Supper fundraiser on Sunday, November 22, at the McLennan United Church.
The Church generally holds two suppers a year, usually in the fall, as autumn seems like an appropriate time for this particular kind of event.
The supper is always a welcome opportunity for members of the United Church and people from the community in general to get together and visit one another.
The November 22 event was no exception with people staying after supper to talk and sing together.
“This year we didn’t have a stew supper and people kept asking us and asking us, so we thought we better do it,” says Sandy Thrall.
“The event is also an opportunity to make people aware that we are still here and for people that have just moved here of the Protestant Faith or who follow the United Church to let them know that they have a place to worship.”
After 14 years in the community, the former United Church Minister, Sharon McRann retired last year but the Church continues to hold regular services.
“There are three of us who take turns giving the service; Bernadette Levefque, D.J. Hicks and myself,” says Thrall.
The church is hoping to get another minister, but at present that is proving difficult as there are so many United Churches in this part of the province without ministers.
“We keep it advertised, but for only a three-quarter time job in a rural community it is hard to attract people.”
The only other United Church in the immediate region is in High Prairie. The McLennan church, which has approximately 20 families on its roll, works together with the High Prairie church as part of the same pastoral charge.
“You may have people on your roll, who don’t show up every Sunday but if you phone them when you are having an event like the stew supper they are right there on your doorstep helping you,” says Thrall.
“And when there is a big occasion like Easter or Christmas the place is usually packed to the rafters with members and visitors, which is nice.”
The United Church will hold Christmas Eve service at 7.30pm. The church is located on 2nd Ave behind McLennan Home Hardware.
