The First Congregational Church of Durham cooks up a noon meal for the community.

Members of the First Congregational Church of Durham were thinking outside the box when they set about planning a community lunch.

For one thing, they decided to have the luncheon on a weekday. They also ask a donation of $2 to $4 – a price unheard of nowadays. They reasoned that nobody would stay away because of the cost.

They were pleased with the results. Twelve members of the congregation prepared and served the lunch on Tuesday, Aug. 18, and none of the 15 people who showed up was a church member. Certainly, the church can feel good about reaching out.

“Everyone likes a bargain,” said Julie Wagoner, church treasurer and a driving force behind the community lunch concept. “This is not a church fundraiser. Everything will go back into the lunches. I don’t know why, but this little seed just started in our brains. We went through the church council about a month ago, and decided we want to give it a try.”

Church member Brenda Herling said that Wagoner was “moved by the spirit.”

Wagoner said that two more luncheons are planned, for Sept. 1 and Sept. 15. They will continue according to public interest, she said.

“We’ll take it from there,” Wagoner said. “We’re doing Tuesdays, because people are away and busy on weekends. We’re going to need community support if we’re going to do this for the long run. We just want to break even.”

Church member Charlie Kettell said that a Tuesday lunch would bring in retired people and others who might not have other community connections.

“Julie put it best by saying that there are people who might not be connected with (Durham Community School), so this is an attempt to get people together,” he said. “Especially in the summer, everything is on the weekends. We want to reach out to seniors and people who don’t get out.”

To start out, the church offered fare appropriate for a smoldering summer day. Guests in the cool of the basement dined on chicken and egg salad sandwiches, homemade pickles, chips, homemade desserts and beverages.

John Peterson just couldn’t see paying the advertised price, so he tossed in a 5-spot for two lunches, for him and his wife, Paula. The Petersons are a retired couple who moved to Durham a year ago to be closer to their daughter, who lives in Yarmouth.

“We decided this would be a good way to meet some people and have some lunch,” John Peterson said. “For a few dollars I’m more than happy to come in and pay whatever they ask, and maybe even more.”

Paula Peterson appreciates the social connection.

“We haven’t met a lot of people,” she said, “so this was a good opportunity. And I just learned that Julie and I both knit.”

Church member Sandra Bowie chimed in with her approval.

“Who knows where this will take us?” Bowie asked.

Wagoner wondered that, as well.

“We’ll talk to the people and see what they want to do,” Wagoner said. “It could be more than just a lunch. We could feature artwork from the school. Or music, or knitting.”

The First Congregational Church of Durham, built in 1951, is located at the corner of routes 9 and 136, at what is known as the “Southwest Bend.” Services are held each Sunday at 9:30 a.m., with an average attendance of about 35 people. Sunday School classes are held during the school year, also at 9:30 a.m. on Sundays.

“We have a great church here,” Wagoner said. “We have a great organist who is a wonderful musician, Jeff Chipman, and a wonderful pastor in Peter Mercer.”

John Peterson and his wife, Paula, chat across the table with Susie McLain during the community lunch held Aug. 18 at the First Congregational Church of Durham. Staff photo by Larry Grard