The day before Thanksgiving, the Lutheran Church of the Epiphany in Norwood, as it does every year, opened its doors to provide a free hot meal for anyone in want of a filling turkey dinner.

“The Lord tells us to feed the hungry and to give drink to the thirsty,” said Pastor Robert Rainis, known affectionately as Pastor Bob around the church. “Christianity is an active word—you have to engage the community.”

Anthony Bopp, the director of Epiphany’s St. Stephen’s Meals program, which serves hot meals for those in need three days a week (every Monday, Wednesday and Friday), organized the Thanksgiving feast in Epiphany’s basement.

“I’m glad to have the opportunity to serve people,” Bopp said. “With the hard financial times, some people don’t have dinner.”

The cook at Epiphany, Willie Simmons, prepared four turkeys and enough stuffing, corn, potato salad and green beans to feed the crowd of more than 60 local patrons.

“I enjoy this, just seeing people come down and enjoy themselves,” Simmons said. “This is a way to give back.”

Simmons’ food not only brought together a crowd of local residents, it also brought together multiple families. Joe McNally, who does all of the church’s repairs and helps out with the St. Stephen’s program three days a week, brought along nine of his family members to help serve the Thanksgiving meal.

“This is a community service. We are feeding those that are less fortunate,” said McNally’s wife, Christine. “Everyone just chipped in and helped out. We all have a part.”

Earlier this year, none of this service would have been possible. A devastating fire destroyed the church basement last January, shutting down the kitchen and the meal program for eight months.
Joe McNally and host of volunteers stepped up and repaired the church’s basement for free.

“We scrubbed everything,” said McNally, who put in new floors, lights, doors, windows, tables and chairs in the basement.

“[The renovation] is a big improvement,” said Richard Miranda, who has come to Epiphany’s Thanksgiving for the past four years with his wife and son. “There is a lot more light, the ceiling is better, it looks cleaner.”

Among the Thanksgiving patrons was a group of around 10 people from the Institute for Applied Human Dynamics, a mentally handicapped group that cleans the room after eating lunch. “It’s like a family away from home,” said one employee.

Other diners were happy to sit back, relax and enjoy the meal with the company of others. “I’m very grateful [for the meal],” said Mary Kelly, who regularly frequents the church for meals. “I don’t have any family and it’s nice to have places like this to come.”