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Free Thanksgiving meals offered in Berlin, Ocean City

(Nov. 17, 2016) Two local churches will host free Thanksgiving meals along with fellowship next week.
Berlin’s First Baptist Church will offer Thanksgiving dinners for its 30th year on Williams Street.
“It is an opportunity to share Thanksgiving with someone else and quite often people who live here are lonely so you are keeping them company,” said Sharon Parsons, church officer manager and a Thanksgiving volunteer since 2001.
About 40 volunteers and the church family provide turkeys and side dishes. The traditional dinner includes dressing, gravy, mashed potatoes, green beans and cranberry sauce, she said.  
“There is so much joy in helping someone,” Parsons said. “We see it all come together and it is very rewarding.”
The volunteers cook Thanksgiving at their homes or come in to help prepare food before setting up the tables and serving guests in addition to clean-up duties.
Last year, Berlin’s First Baptist Church provided 480 meals and organizers plan to serve about the same amount next week.
“We are putting emphasis on coming in and sharing with each other,” Parsons said. “We do deliver to shut-ins and working people such as the police, fire department and the DaVita Berlin Dialysis Center, where patients are required to have dialysis every day.”
Guests can dine-in or carry-out, and the church has already received 125 reservations.
“We are looking for volunteers, and they can call the church,” Parsons said. “We are here to help and sharing the love of Christ.”
Thanksgiving dinner will be offered between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 24 at the church, located at 613 Williams Street in Berlin.
Those who would like to attend should call 410-641-4306 in advance to reserve their seats or carryout meals. Leave a message after the recording and someone from the church will return the call.
For the 38th year, the Ocean City Baptist Church will be having its annual Thanksgiving dinner at the North Division Street parish.
Members of the church and community volunteers prepare and serve dinner which includes turkey, stuffing, gravy, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, corn, string beans, cranberry sauce, pies, coffee, tea and rolls.
“Many come who do not want to cook and sit with others who cannot afford a meal,” said Pastor Sean Davis.
About 100 volunteers were on hand to help out during last year’s dinner and most live in the community.
Last year, the church provided close to 700 meals. Guests have the option of dining in, carrying food out or calling in advance for delivery.
Volunteers also deliver to the Ocean City Police Department, fire department, Ocean City Coast Guard Station and to local businesses that are open on Thanksgiving.
The Baptist church in downtown Ocean City will offer its Thanksgiving dinner between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Nov. 24. The festivities will take place at the church, located next to the 7-Eleven at 102 N. Division Street. For those who need their meals delivered to Ocean City or West Ocean City, call 410-289-4054 in advance.
The Ocean City Baptist Church will also host the Ocean City Christian Ministers Associations annual community Thanksgiving service on Sunday, Nov. 22, at 7 p.m.
There will be praise, worship songs, hymns, community choir, Thanksgiving testimonies and a brief message. Desserts and fellowship will follow the service.  
Guests are asked to bring canned goods, paper products, nonperishable food items or donate funds for the food pantry on Somerset Street. The service is sponsored by all area churches.
For more information, call 410-289-6573.