THIRD FRIDAY
Good food, good company. Plenty of both.
On the third Friday of every month, the whole church gathers for dinner and an evening together.
The Menu Is Never the Same
The food is a big part of the night. Pastor Zach plans and prepares the meal, usually from scratch, and the menu changes every month. Over the years we have worked through different regions of Italy, made Thai and Armenian food, empanadas, birria tacos, Szechuan dishes, beef Wellington, wood-fired pizza, chicken and waffles, and plenty of other meals that are harder to summarize than to eat.
Some dinners are built around a single main course and others stretch to five or six courses, but none of them are meant to be an ordinary church potluck. There is usually a theme to the meal, and often a dessert to match. Anyone is welcome to bring a dessert or something to share, but there is never any pressure to do so.
A Few Traditions of Our Own
The Chili Cook-Off
Once a year, anyone who wants to can enter a pot and compete. Winner takes home the trophy and bragging rights until next year.
Valentine’s Third Friday
Usually RSVP-based, choice of entrée, and the children spend the evening together at another member’s home so parents can have a night off.
Personal Pizza Night
Pastor Zach fires up his wood-fired oven and everyone makes custom individual pizzas fresh throughout the evening.
Around the Table
Third Friday is ultimately as much about the people around the table as the food on it. There is no formal program for the evening. We eat, talk, laugh, and linger over dinner together. Most months, the children eat with everyone else and then head off to play while the adults stay around the table. There is plenty of room for the whole family, and friends and visitors are always welcome.
Appetite required.
