Come one, come all! Oh come all ye faithful, and come ye who are not so faithful. All are welcome at the free Vine Church Community Christmas Dinner on December 20.
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The dinner is a free gift to the people of Yass by the Vine Community Church.
There’ll be Christmas food aplenty, toys for the kids and Christmas Hamper giveaways, as well as a chance to meet new people and share the spirit of Christmas.
The festivities begin at 6.30pm at the Yass Memorial Hall.
“It should be a great night,” says Pastor Gary Brown. “Everyone is welcome.”
This is the fourth year the Vine Church have treated the Yass community to a free Christmas dinner. Numbers have risen from about 70 in the first year to over 125 last year. For 2015 the organisers are expecting 150-160. Last year 20 Christmas hampers were distributed; this year 50 are available.
If you would like to go, all you need do is ring Di on 0412 020 761 to book and tell them the age and sex of your children (under 12), so an appropriate toy can be arranged.
The Vine Church believes in practical Christianity, and as such funds the dinner from its coffers. It is very grateful for the support it receives from local businesses such as Tanks Bakery, Patrick’s Butchery and Kidz Blitz.
Perhaps you are wondering why the Vine Church would go to the bother and expense of putting on a free Christmas dinner. Pastor Gary explains…
“We’re not interested in legalistic religion. We’re about freedom through relationship, turning the Vision God has given us into action. The Bible tells us, ‘first the natural, then the spiritual’.
That’s why we do the Band of Brothers every month. It’s why we do Food Care. It’s why we’ll give away the Christmas hampers. It’s why we’re working on our new building. It’s all part of the fulfilment of the Vision God has given to us.”
A number of those already booked in for this year’s Christmas dinner are families who shop at Food Care.
Food Care is an initiative of the Vine Church that enables people with a Centrelink, health or pension card to buy food at reduced prices, then sit and have a cuppa and a chat after shopping. It is the chat and the fellowship that many people enjoy most of all.
“Food Care is about more than the food,” says Pastor Gary. “It is a meeting place for the community. It’s a place of warmth and a chance to communicate. This food is a bonus. I’ve always thought that we should find out the needs of the community then try to meet them.”
If you would like to find out more about any of the Vine Church’s programs, you can phone the church office on 6226 4848.