Rochester church offers free meal to those in need

True Memorial Baptist Church secretary Susan Heimann checks on turkeys cooling in the church dining hall on Wednesday. The birds will be served up today as part of a free meal offered to anyone who chooses to come. (Harrison Thorp photo)

ROCHESTER - If you’re one of many this morning who will wake up with no turkey to roast, no potatoes to mash and no pies to bake, True Memorial Church of Rochester has your back, and your tummy.

From noon to 3 p.m. the Rochester church, located at 21 Ten Rod Road, Exit 14 off the Spaulding, will be serving a complete Thanksgiving dinner for free for anyone who wants to stop by.

If you’re homebound or don’t have a car, they want you to call them to get a meal delivered to your home. Even if it’s not until this morning, church secretary Susan Heimann said they’ll do their best to bring you a complete Thanksgiving feast.

Heimann said about 15 vehicles will be delivering food, and much of it is done by whole families who give up the lion’s share of their holiday to help feed those in need.

“Many of the deliveries are to the elderly,” Heimann said on Wednesday as she checked on turkeys cooling in the church dining room, where today upwards of 300 will show up for a sumptuous Turkey Day feast.

The amount of food to be prepared is staggering: 30 turkeys, 250 pounds of squash, 200 pounds of potatoes, 16 gallons of gravy and 70 pies.

Some 35 volunteers have been working pretty much round the clock since Sunday to get everything ready, Heimann said.

She said this is the church’s biggest outreach of the year. By the end of the day today more than 300 will have eaten at the church and another 200 meals will have been delivered, she guessed.

If anyone needs a meal delivered, they can call the church at 603-332-3131.

Be sure to call as early as possible, Heimann said. Once it gets late in the morning, “It gets a little hairy, but we’ll do our best to get you a meal.”

If you plan to drive to the church, no reservations are necessary.

Asked why the church has offered the free Thanksgiving feast for more than a decade, Heimann said without hesitation, “To be the hands and feet of Christ.”