Photo courtesy Pastor Sean Davis
Volunteers and guests enjoy a homemade Thanksgiving dinner at the Ocean City Baptist Church on North Division Street in Ocean City, last year.

By Morgan Pilz, Staff Writer

(Nov. 22, 2018) Area residents and guests can skip the tedious process of making Thanksgiving dinner and instead, enjoy a full holiday meal prepared by one of two local churches next Thursday.

For the 40th year, the Ocean City Baptist Church will host its annual Thanksgiving dinner at the North Division Street parish from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

“My dad was the pastor before me,” Pastor Sean Davis said. “He thought everyone should be with family on Thanksgiving. That was the original thought. There’s some people that aren’t going to be with family [this year] so we want them to be with our family.”

Guests have the option of dining in, carrying food out or calling in advance for delivery. Last year, the church served 300 diners and had nearly 400 carry-out orders.

“I honestly think we have the best Thanksgiving meal in town,” Davis said. “Chef Paul deHuarte [Sr.], the head chef at Ristorante Antipasti, makes everything.”

The church will serve turkey, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, corn, peas, stuffing and pumpkin and apple pies. Dozens of volunteers help with cooking the turkeys.

Volunteers deliver meals to the Ocean City Police Department, fire department, Ocean City Coast Guard Station and to those working at local businesses open on Thanksgiving.

“It’s a wonderful community event,” Davis said. “There’s a whole community of Christians and others getting together. You don’t have to be Christian either. Democrats and Republicans, Redskins and Giants fans, it truly is one of the best things to see the community [come] together.”

The Baptist church in downtown Ocean City will offer its Thanksgiving dinner between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 22. The festivities will take place in 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.

Berlin’s First Baptist Church will offer Thanksgiving dinners for its 31st year on Williams Street from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

“We just want to share with the community and we think this is a good way to show the love of Christ and our caring for the community,” Sharon Parsons, church officer manager and a Thanksgiving volunteer since 2001, said. “We have done this for over 30 years.”

Last year, the Berlin church provided about 480 meals, either as takeout or dine in. Volunteers are prepared to serve about 500 meals this year.

The church will provide a traditional Thanksgiving meal, including turkey, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, green beans, rolls, cranberry sauce and cookies.

About 100 meals were delivered to shut-ins and people working on the holiday including those at police and fire departments and the DaVita Berlin Dialysis Center, where patients are required to have dialysis every day.

“If people want to call in to volunteer, we are always looking for volunteers,” Parsons said.

Thanksgiving dinner will be offered between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 22 at the church, located at 613 Williams Street in Berlin.

Those who are interested in volunteering or want to attend should call 410-641-4306 in advance to reserve their seats or carry-out meals. Leave a voicemail and someone from the church will return the call.