Serving Christmas Joy: Second Baptist Church To Hold Community Christmas Dinner

by Stephanie Baker

As other families begin Christmas morning opening presents and stockings by the tree, Christmas Meal Coordinator Vanessa Hollowell and a team of volunteers begin the morning early, preparing to serve hundreds of people a traditional Christmas meal.

Second Baptist Church will provide its annual holiday meal from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Christmas Day, Thursday, Dec. 25. All are welcome to attend and share in the meal and the Christmas joy.

Since 2006, Second Baptist Church has annually served a free traditional Christmas dinner to the community. This meal is not just for those in need of food; it is for everyone, especially for those who may not get to spend the holiday with family.

“This meal is for anyone, not just those in need. We have discovered that many people are alone on Christmas, and it is a blessing to be able to join others for a good meal,” said Pastor Tom Dicus.

The community meal has become an integral way Hollowell’s family and church family celebrate the holiday.

“It really is open to everybody. We want to serve people, and we want to wish you a merry Christmas. We want people to come and share a meal with us. Yes, you are probably going to get talked to, because we just want to make sure you know that you are loved. We are showing Christ’s love in a physical way. It is the way I have for many years chosen to celebrate Christmas, because this, to me, shows the meaning of Christmas in a real way,” said Hollowell, who has been a church member for almost 30 years.

The idea originated with church member Raymond Holt, who “wanted to show Christmas joy in a more tangible way,” said Hollowell.

The outreach has continued to grow since its first dinner in 2006. Last year, the church served 350 people a traditional holiday meal of turkey, dressing, green beans, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, rolls, and a variety of homemade desserts.

“We want to share love with people. One way to do that is to fill their bellies,” said Hollowell.

The operation is powered by a team of 40 to 50 volunteers who cook turkeys, prepare desserts, decorate tables, serve meals, package to-go orders, deliver food, and spend time visiting with guests.

Executive Chef Lee Youngblood runs the kitchen, which operates in two lines: one to serve food to in-house guests, and another to box up to-go meals, which will be delivered to those who work on Christmas day, including law enforcement, health care workers, and local convenience stores.

“He is the one who has the knowledge to be able to feed that mass number of people. I’m just there to make sure he has everything he needs and to make sure everything gets done. He is the glue that makes everything stick,” said Hollowell of Youngblood, who prefers to play a behind-the-scenes role. “He wants to make sure people eat and eat enough. We are going to feed you, and we don’t want you leaving hungry.”

On Christmas Day, the church’s gym will be filled with tables decorated and ready to welcome people to a holiday feast reminiscent of an old family Christmas. Holiday music plays, festive treats and pies are enjoyed, and the coffee pot never runs empty. Community members of all ages celebrate together the joy and love of the holiday season.

For the volunteers who serve the meal, there is no better way to share the true meaning of Christmas and share the ultimate love that was shown at the nativity and on the cross, key foundations of their Christian faith, according to Hollowell.

“Jesus came to us to show us how much He loves. He came to this earth as a baby to be our salvation. That’s what Christmas means to me,” she said.

For Hollowell and her family, the meal has shaped how they celebrate Christmas. When her children were young, presents waited until after the meal was served. Now, as her family has grown, they celebrate Christmas on a different day to keep the tradition going.

“It’s part of our Christmas now,” she said. “It’s so worth it when people who might not otherwise have a Christmas dinner get to have that experience. What better way to show Christmas love?”

Church members also share Christmas love by visiting local nursing homes to sing Christmas carols and delivering handmade cards created by the church’s children’s ministry.

“It doesn’t matter who you are, or where you are from, or where you are going,” Hollowell said. “You are welcome to share this Christmas with us.”

Compassion Center

Beyond the Christmas meal, Second Baptist Church operates its Compassion Center year-round.

“We are a church that cares about our community,” said Dicus. “Our mission statement is ‘Meeting Needs in Order to Share Christ.’ We meet physical needs in hopes of opening doors to share the good news of Jesus Christ.”

Dicus emphasized the greatest need of the community is spiritual and two-fold: people need eternal salvation, and to experience the love of Jesus and the community of a church to have stability during the trials of life.

“When people have a walk with Jesus and are active in a local church, their lives are more stable. Jesus taught this in Matthew 7:24-27 about the two foundations,” he said.

Those verses state, “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

Discus noted that many people seeking help are facing isolation and broken family relationships. “We’ve had people tell us their family won’t have anything to do with them anymore,” he said, stressing the importance of meeting the need physically and spiritually.

The Compassion Center is open every Tuesday and Thursday from 10 a.m. to noon and 5-7 p.m. except for holidays and during special church events. The center serves residents of Johnson County with food. First-time visitors are required to bring an ID and a piece of mail with their name and physical address on it and fill out paperwork; on following visits, only an ID is required.

“For some people, the food we give is a necessity. We have had people call who did not have any food in their house. I think for most who receive help from us, it supplements their food needs, removes some financial pressure, and allows them to use the money to pay other bills,” said Dicus.

The center is part of the River Valley Regional Food Bank and is supported by donations from Feeding America, Walmart, Dollar General, Tyson Foods, local churches, gardeners, and community members.

Donations to support the ministry can be made to Second Baptist Church marked Compassion Center. Partnership in prayer is also requested. To volunteer, contact the church office at 479-754-2930. More information can be found on the church’s Facebook page, including updates on the Compassion Center and announcements when the center has extra food to give away.

Read this story and others in the Dec. 17 issue of The Graphic, available online and at businesses throughout Franklin and Johnson counties. Subscribe or donate here to support more hometown journalism.