Folks in and around the Menominee reservation can enjoy a warm meal and get to know some new people thanks to a new community meal program facilitated by the Church of God.
The Cecil-based church is providing the food every Wednesday at the new community kitchen that also serves as the headquarters for the tribe’s department of agriculture and food services. In exchange, church members are hoping those who come will provide the thoughts — at least, the spoken ones.
The community meals started Jan. 7 with a creamy potato and ham soup, rolls and cookies. The food will be different each week, according to church representative Brianne Frazier, in the hopes that people will keep coming back. The meal is not strictly for those who are poor, but rather for those who want to see friends and neighbors, perhaps adding to their circle of close people.
Mequon Oshkosh was one of the folks in Keshena who came for the first meal, bringing along his daughter and some of her teammates on the local basketball team. Jan. 7 was an icy day that closed down the public schools and the tribal offices, but Oshkosh said he appreciated that the meal went on.
“It’s always good to support people who do this, especially if they take the time to do this on a day that the tribe is closed,” Oshkosh said.
Frazier said the idea to give back came about as a result of the youths in the church.
“Our young people were talking about how they feel so blessed to be able to live in our community, and we were thinking about what could we do to give back,” Frazier said. “We thought about the powwows that we had gone to and how much we enjoyed that. The powwows really blessed us, and we thought, ‘Oh, we should bless them, too.’”
Although the publicity materials being put out about the meal said it would continue through Feb. 18, Frazier said the church plans to hold the meals as long as there is interest. She said the Wednesday dates were a trial run, and the church is asking guests whether the midweek meal is best or if it should be held Saturdays.
“We’re going to do several weeks on Wednesdays and then have a conversation to see if we liked doing it on Wednesdays, or would Saturday work better?” Frazier said. “If we see that Wednesday’s not the best, then we’ll try on Saturday.”
Frazier said that the local Church of God has done meals for its community in Cecil before, but those were usually hosted at the church’s school.
“This is the first time we’ve gone to another location and hosted a meal,” she said.
Prior to the meal starting, Frazier said there was some concern as to whether the first event would bring people out, both because it was an inaugural event and also because of the weather making roads on the reservation treacherous.
“We’re kind of nervous,” Frazier said. “We hope it tastes good.”
Many members of the church are committed to making the community meal a success.
“It’s mostly our young people,” Frazier said. “A few of us older ones are involved with planning. There will be a rotation. Different ones will help one week, and it might help for others to serve another week. It won’t be the same people every week, so everyone can be involved.”
Giving back is something that is preached in the Christian faith, Frazier said, and the meal is just one way the Church of God can do that.
“The scriptures say to love your neighbor as yourself,” Frazier said. “You’re our neighbors, so we want to love on you a little bit.”
lpulaski@newmedia-wi.com
