Wilmington Church feeds thousands on Christmas Eve

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — Christmas is a time for giving to others, and a Wilmington church did just that Tuesday night. Pine Valley United Methodist Church fed thousands of people, and anyone was welcome.

It’s a tradition that started at the church back in 2006, and it’s grown significantly over the years. Lead Pastor Tim Reaves says the idea is to make sure that nobody goes hungry.

“They started it with about 250 meals the first year, and then I think this year we were looking at something close to 5,000 meals,” Reaves said.

Reaves says more than 150 volunteers work for five days preparing traditional holiday meals of ham, mashed potatoes, collard greens, desserts, and more. On Christmas Eve, they deliver those meals to shelters, charities, fire stations, church members in nursing homes, and other places.

“It’s really about what Christmas is all about, showing the love of Christ and not only feeding the stomach but also feeding the soul,” Reaves said.

The church also lets people pick up meals throughout the day, and hosts a big feast at 6:00 p.m. for anyone who wants to attend. Congregational Care Pastor Barry Stallings says it wouldn’t be possible without the many volunteers.

“It’s not easy, it’s a process that takes a lot of people, a lot of hard work, but we have wonderful dedicated volunteers that participate in doing this because they know that it touches peoples’ lives,” Stalling said.

The church has not yet told us how many plates they gave away this year.

If you’d like to volunteer or attend next year’s dinner, click here for more information.