Churches share joy of true holiday spirit
By Steve Herring
Published in News on December 21, 2014 1:50 AM
News-Argus/MELISSA KEY
From left, Angela Seagraves, Jackie Wilson and her granddaughter, Deedee Dewitt, 2, enjoy their pancake breakfast at Christmas in the City held at St. Paul United Methodist Church on Saturday morning.
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News-Argus/MELISSA KEY
Starr Whitmore, left, a teacher at Carver Heights Elementary, pours syrup for her student Million Edwards, 7, whom she invited to her church's pancake breakfast.
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Submitted photo
Volunteers who helped put on the Christmas in the City event Saturday morning are, from left: Taylor Willman, Crawford Tanner, Margaret Tanner, Georgia Tanner and Bob Cagle. The annual party, held each year on the Saturday before Christmas, is a joint effort of St. Paul, St. Stephen's and the Lord's Table churches.
There's nothing like a good syrup-drenched pancake.
At least, that is what 7-year-old Million Edwards announced as he stuck another forkful in his mouth Saturday.
"It's good," he said.
And he should now. It was his second plate of pancakes at St. Paul United Methodist Church's annual Christmas in the City event.
He had brought his mother, Brandi Croom, along.
"I think that they are very generous," Ms. Croom said. "It is unfortunate that a lot of people might not know about it, and it is rainy. So those who do not have transportation can't come out and support what the church is doing.
"But I think it is a generous thing because they really don't have to do it. It's a Saturday. There is a lot going on, and I am sure people still have shopping to do. So I think it is a generous thing. I am enjoying the pancakes. I have had a good breakfast this morning."
Once visitors ate, they could take a shuttle to St. Stephen's Episcopal Church for a clothing giveaway. More than 250 people took advantage of the donation.
The event, which is held each year on the Saturday before Christmas, is a joint effort of St. Paul, St. Stephen's and the Lord's Table churches.
Gray Young, 14, has been volunteering with the program since it started.
"I do enjoy it," said Gray, who attends St. Paul. "I like helping out. I am a really fortunate kid, and I get a lot of stuff that I want for Christmas. I think the least I can do is help the people who do not get as much as me.
It was for those very reasons that Georgia Tanner, 22, who also attends St. Paul, came up with the idea for the event nearly four years ago.
"We had really good turnout," Miss Tanner said. "It was really great to kind of just give back to the community. During the summer (three years ago) I just kind of had this tug -- it was like something really needs to be done that kind of brings churches together and kind of serves as a model of what the Christmas spirit is about.
"I feel like sometimes that people get caught up in such minute divisions where we kind of all go our separate ways instead of coming together and serving our community and showing the love of Christ. That was my main goal, to bring people together of different denominational backgrounds and serve alongside and pour out to this community because so many people are struggling or suffering."
Miss Tanner said she would show up at different churches and tell them about the idea. She admits it was a little discouraging at first when she was told there was already a lot going on around the holidays.
She said she was literally going down the pages in the phone book contacting churches as well as sending out emails.
"But then to see these three churches and volunteers take my idea and run with it, and go full force ahead, was just absolutely amazing," she said. "To be honest I had the idea, but I can't take that much credit because Melissa (Harrell, mission coordinator at St. Paul) and Dwayne (Banks, of the Lord's Table) have been so wonderful taking my vision, contributing and doing so much to help."
Now Miss Tanner wants to build on that original vision by expanding to other areas of the county.
The plan had been to expand into Mount Olive this year, but at the last minute the host there had to cancel.
"So that is going to be our goal for next year -- to branch out into different areas of Wayne County," she said. "Being able to bring to more than Goldsboro would be wonderful.
"It shows the true dedication of the people here in Goldsboro who want to serve this community and who love this community. It just makes me so excited. It restores your faith in humanity."
Ms. Harrell agrees.
"The idea is to spread the love of Christ and let people know that they are not forgotten at this important time of the year," she said.
In the past, the clothing giveaway was also held at St. Paul, but renovations at the church required the relocation.
Volunteers started getting ready about 6 a.m. and people were allowed in about 7:30 a.m. for coffee and to warm up before the pancake breakfast, which started at 8 a.m.
St. Paul is in an ideal location to help, Ms. Harrell said, because of the number of homeless or people who are experiencing "hard luck" in the downtown area.
"We just wanted them to know that the churches are here to support them and to show that we can cross denominational lines, and that we don't have to stay in our own little boxes," she said. "It is just a nice blending of folks from various denominations to be able to say it is all about the spirit of Christmas -- making people feel welcome no matter what is going on in their life situation.
"Providing hope. That is what it is really all about. I think just to remind people that no matter what their situation, there are always people that are in worse situations than yourself. It is to remind people that this time of year is not the story of me, but is a time for giving."