A few weekends ago at FAC, Pastor Kyle asked us to share our ideas for helping and celebrating Easter. During his sermon, I came up with the idea of organizing a strange 2020 COVID-19 potluck Easter dinner.
I usually cook a large meal with lots of family and friends attending. I decided to do the same this year, only differently. I asked each family to make a portion of the meal. I would be the only one driving and dropping off. We would all stay socially distanced.
Making It Happen
First, standing in line at Costco to buy ham and potatoes was quite the adventure. Because of the COVID-19 virus, we now line up outside, 6 feet apart, to be let into the store. The line went along the whole front of the building! About a city block long! Then the lineup to get back out! Still 6 feet apart! But I got what I needed; they were not out of stock and I went home. Praise the Lord.
What a busy day Easter Sunday turned out to be! I had thought that since I was only delivering the Easter dinner, and not having anyone at our house to eat, it would be less work. But not so.
On Sunday, I cooked the ham, wrapped and cooked the potatoes, and peeled and cut up the carrots — which was the easy part of the day. At 4:30 we carved the ham. Wrapped potatoes were put in each pre-heated slow cooker and the ham was put on aluminum foil and set on top of the potatoes. Carrots were put in Tupperware containers. We cleaned off all containers with anti-bacterial cleaner, donned our gloves, and set out. We used the gloves to deliver all the food, never touching the containers with our bare hands.
We went to home #1 and dropped off the slow cooker. We called ahead to say we were there and put it on the front step. We also dropped off Easter goodies, of course. I did get a picture with the family, always staying 6 feet away. We picked up a yummy fruit crisp to deliver.
House #2, we again called ahead and left the slow cooker and dessert — plus chocolate bunnies — on the front step. Homemade buns were there to greet us, so we took them and moved on.
Home #3 was a seniors‘ residence that was still open. We dropped off a cast iron pot, still very hot, along with the dessert and buns.
We again went to home #1 and left the buns on the doorstep.
We went to our home and had a quiet supper and a well-deserved glass of wine!
Keeping It Going
Happy Easter, everyone! I think this strange Easter supper will be remembered for a long time! We wanted to show our family and friends that we love them and we could still serve each other, just in a new way.
I am already planning a spring BBQ, where we will cook the meat and have a table with buns, condiments, and cooked corn and neighbours can come by, at pre-set times, get their supper to eat at home, 1 family at a time, and we will wave from the doorway!
I know it was extra work, but well worth the effort! I know it is weird, but we can ‘break bread together’ when we are not together. We can love each other through our sharing food together. We love you and miss you all. Thanks, Pastor Kyle, for encouraging us to think outside the box.
What about …? And …?
– Betty Korthuis
How about you? Got a story to share about your own out-of-the-box Easter or how you‘re staying connected and sharing hospitality in new ways? We’d love to hear it! Email your stories to
Cheryl Siebring.
