In-person Christmas dinner returns to Dublin Street United Church

A hot meal and some community is coming back to Dublin Street United Church for Christmas.

The church is bringing back its sit-down Christmas dinner for 2023, complete with all the fixings and camaraderie patrons were used to pre-pandemic.

“It is a bit of a blessing that we can go back to the original intent of the meal,” said David Durbin, chair of the marketing and communications committee for the church.

The church is looking to serve free meals to 120 people, and you must register to attend.

You can do so by email or by phoning 519-821-0610 ext. 221. The deadline to register is Dec. 10, but you’re asked to register early due to the popularity of the event.

“The dinner will be cooked on site in Dublin church’s kitchen by a team of volunteers, led by the program lead, Sarah Martin,” Durbin said.

“Sarah will be there at 5 a.m. on Christmas Day to put the turkeys into the oven, and get the cooking started.”

Doors open at 1 p.m. The dinner starts at 1:30 p.m. on Christmas Day.

There will be carol singing and activities for children too.

Although the meal is free, anyone looking to make a donation to help cover the costs can do so by sending an eTransfer to dublinstreet.donations@gmail.com.

Durbin noted the sit down meal does spell the end of the delivery program, which was used as an alternative over the last couple years for the pandemic.

“If I could wave my magic wand, I would love to do the delivery, as well as the community dinner,” he said. “But the reality is that resources just don’t allow for both at this point in time. 

“But the door is never closed to that type of idea.”

There will also be a Christmas dinner at Royal City Mission on Quebec Street. Further details have yet to be finalized.