The North Madison Congregational Church’s Annual Harvest Dinner is back in-person for the first time in three years, according to church members and their excitement is building as this celebration has become an important community gathering for both the congregation and those attending. The decades old tradition hopes to serve 400 to 500 meals and will have two separate seatings, both in-person and takeout, on Saturday, Nov. 5, at 5:30 and 6:30 p.m.

Congregation member Roberta Hanlon said the event is extremely special this year as it marks the first time in years that the dinner has been able to be held in-person.

“The folks who’ve been calling in and reserving and the people are really excited and saying, ‘I’m so glad you’re back! It’s not the same eating my turkey dinner all by myself in my kitchen,’ because I love coming here and being with people, and having conversations together.” Hanlon said. “We see ourselves as a welcoming community. This is one of our favorite and one of our strongest events in terms of fellowship. We just love sharing that fellowship in this situation. The congregation loves to volunteer and get together and converse. Its intergenerational, so this event is just as impactful for those who volunteer as it is for folks who come out and participate.”

According to Hanlon, all of the traditional home-made favorites will be prepared and ready for the hungry crowd expected this year. Meals will come in a take-out container with salad featuring homemade dressing, large servings of roast turkey, homemade stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, pumpkin or cranberry muffins, cranberry relish, and locally grown mashed rutabagas. The meal is also available in family-style packaging.

”You can also order whole apple or pumpkin pies or our famous secret-recipe salad dressing. All meals are packaged in environmentally friendly containers,” said Hanlon. “All of the food is prepared by the congregation and much of the food is grown and raised locally by members as well.”

Eileen McCann, Harvest Dinner chair, said the hundreds of people who participate in the annual meal is a vital connection for the church and the Madison community.

The Harvest Dinner tradition dates back “at least to the 1920s or even earlier,” according to McCann. And while it is all hands-on deck for the members of the North Madison Church, she said that, in the past, people have come from all over for the event to not only enjoy the meal, but volunteer for the preparation.

“It is more than a fundraiser. It’s a time for fun and fellowship,” McCann said. “We plan to make [hundreds of] take-out meals that can be picked between 5 and 8 pm on Nov. 6 and another 200 meals for those who prefer to dine with us.”

The North Madison Congregational Church Harvest Dinner is on Saturday, Nov. 5, with seatings at 5:30 and 6:30 p.m. The cost is $25 per person, $20 for seniors over 65, $10 kids 12 and under, and $20 for the take-out meal. Reservations are required and pre-payment is encouraged. Pre-payment is required for parties of four or larger.

For more information or reservations, visit northmadisoncc.org/harvestdinner, email office@northmadisoncc.org (subject line “Harvest Dinner”), or call 2103-421-3241.