Church attendance isnt what it used to be. Just a generation ago, being part of church community was important and essential to most people. Families often went without so that they could contribute to the collection plate, sometimes as much as 50 per cent of their household income.
Churches depended on this money to support infrastructure and run vital outreach programs.
Nowadays people dont give to their church like they used to. We used to rent the hall for weddings and offer catering, but people now have receptions in golf courses and country clubs, says Emily Chucko, the coordinator of the once-a-month Friday Night Supper at Holy Trinity Orthodox Church. We had to come up with another way to support our church and our community.
In 1995, long before Main Street was the foodie destination its become, inspiration, or perhaps divine intervention struck perogies!
For just over $12, you get a more than ample plate of homemade Ukrainian food perogies, cabbage rolls, sauerkraut, sausage and borscht.
Those first few dinners had us worried. No one was interested, says Chucko.
Seven years later, it couldnt be made clearer by the organizers or the website that the Friday Night Supper is a success and there will be a line-up. Thats an understatement really the line-up often wraps around the church hall, down 10th Street and up to Main Street.
During our busiest times, in the winter months, we can serve as many as 500 meals in one night, says the dinners official greeter, Ted Cholod. And thats not including what we sell from the take-out window.
The Friday Night Supper is a popular spot. With the smiling faces greeting each guest and the casual atmosphere, no one would know the amount of work required to make each dinner: there 3,000 to 4,000 perogies and 140 dozen cabbage rolls to make by hand and 50 pounds of beets. Everythings done by a team of 50 volunteers. You really can taste the love!
Dinners are the first Friday of every month, from 5-8pm. Get there early.
154 East 10th | 604-876-4747 | UOCVancouver.com
