ROCKFORD, OH (WLIO) - Christmas is all about family and a Mercer County community has created a family dinner for people who are not necessarily related by blood, but something more meaningful.
“A lot of them know each other, but some don’t,” says Sharon Halter, first year at Together on Christmas. “I don’t know anybody here really. It is just lovely to see the joy, the smiles. Food brings us together just like Jesus would do.”
This is the first year that Sharon and Pastor Bill Halter have experienced the Together on Christmas dinner. They came to the Rockford United Methodist Church this past summer and have only heard about the annual Christmas day dinner that the church started back in the mid-2000s.
“And have been so looking forward to this day, because it really shows the body of Christ, the community coming together to serve people, to love people, to care for people,” says Pastor Bill Halter, Rockford UMC. “To help feed, but bring a lot of joy into their lives.”
Whether you are coming in to eat or taking food to go. You can always expect some good food with a smile and a Merry Christmas thanks to the over 150 volunteers who have put in the hours to decorate the community center, made desserts, or cook and serve around 600 meals to people that come from miles around that have found a family in Rockford for Christmas.
“In the first year we did it, I didn’t know what to expect,” says Kara Rupp, 11-year volunteer at Together on Christmas. “I couldn’t imagine people giving up their Christmas morning to do something like this. And when we came, we didn’t want to leave. Because it was so much fun, it was so neat to see people be the hands and feet of Christ to people who just need someone to talk to and spend time with on Christmas day.”
“It’s really neat to see how happy everybody is when they come and see maybe a neighbor or friend here,” adds Nathan Rupp, Rockford UMC Dir. of Youth and Children’s Ministries. “It’s really neat to be able to see that especially with all the people who are helping, it’s really exciting to see how loving they are and that they are sharing that love of Christ with people around them.”
Organizers believe that the volunteers give up their Christmas to be with others and help it the true meaning of the holiday.
“I am absolutely not a commercial Christmas kind of person. So, I love it that we have a place to be where we can serve other people and just enjoy each other’s company. Which seems like the true meaning of Christmas.," says Karla Butler, Organizer of “Together on Christmas” Dinner
