Lenten Lunches begin their 52nd year
Coshocton County Lenten Lunches began in 1969 at the First Baptist Church [Chestnut Street] in Coshocton. The Rev. Robert Rezash brought the idea from Pennsylvania when he was called to be pastor at St. John’s United Christ of Christ.
The lunches moved to The Presbyterian Church in 1986 to provide more tables to eat, and more parking places. The lunch hour time (11:45 a.m. to 12:50 p.m.) makes it possible for those who work nearby to participate.
At first, the Lenten Lunches were organized by a committee of the Coshocton County Council of Churches. Later, the three county ministerial associations took over the planning. In recent times, leadership was provided by the Revs. Philip Hunt and Jonathan Carlisle. Since their retirements in 2018, the Lenten Luncheons have been planned by the Rev. Richard Hoover and Charles R. Snyder. The county celebrated the 50th year of Lenten Lunches in 2019.
For many years, Sue Carlisle coordinated the Lenten meals. This year, the meals are being coordinated by Christa Ciotola, who took over for veterans Donna Westfall, Mickie Galajda, and Roma Vance.
The Lunches offer soup, crackers, vegetables, cheese, and pie or cake. A suggested donation goes to Church Women United for their “clothe a child” project. Following the meal, a Lenten hymn is sung, and special music is shared by someone from the guest pastor’s congregation, followed by the scripture and message for the day.
New clergy to the area are usually asked to speak – a way to introduce them to our county. This year, all six speakers are relatively new.
The theme for the 2023 lunches is “Matters of the Heart.” The first message “The Open Heart” will be by the Rev. Deb Quillen from Grace United Methodist Church.
A graduate from Heidelberg [College] University, Quillen majored in music education with an emphasis in trumpet, viola, and conducting. After five summers as a counselor at Camp Asbury, and theology studies at Methodist Theological School in Ohio, she was ordained. Her first call was as director and manager of Camp Asbury.
Her seventh appointment brought her and her husband, Chuck, to Coshocton and Grace Church. Singing with the Coshocton Community Choir has been a joy for her and her choir friends.
The Lenten Lunches will be held in the fellowship hall at Coshocton’s Presbyterian Church on Feb. 22 and March 1, 8, 15, 22, and 29. Details about the pastors, topics, and musicians for the March lunches will be listed in following weeks.
Category: Faith
