by Teresa Fletcher and Shannon Meister
On September 13, Broadway UMC hosted a neighborhood block party in the parking lot of the church. The temperature for the day topped 90 degrees, but that did not stop people from coming out.
The day featured the first ever annual BBQ Pitmaster Contest. While it was literally a heated contest (temperatures were in the 90’s), the verdict is in. Pastor Brian and Dave Fletcher TIED. Tasters recommend that we have a re-match next year to see who will go home with the trophy.
That is so Broadway!!! The results of the competition may have been disappointing to some of the tasters, but you can be assured it was not for the contestants. Broadway’s values lie in our commitment to see each other’s differences and appreciate and value the unique gifts we bring to the table. Both sandwiches had a distinct flavor, yet were equally as tasty. It was really difficult to select one as better. Think of this as the episode from the reality tv cooking challenge where everyone gets to stay and compete in the next episode.
Pastor Brian’s pulled pork had more of a savory flavor, while Dave’s was slightly sweeter. Brian added a nice crunch with the addition of a Carolina cole slaw. Dave provided a sauce made from rhubarb picked from his own patch. We can’t wait to see what they come up with for the next challenge. Maybe there is someone out there who would like to enter the next competition. We would love to have you.
So, who were the winners? During the event we served at least 126 hot dogs, about 40 lbs of bbq pork in slider buns, 70 plates of cookies, bars, or cupcakes. All the bikes were given to those who needed them for transportation or recreation. Community partners got to share the work they do for the people in our community. And, our neighbors got to meet and build relationships with our first responders. That sounds like a big win!!!
A big thank you to Shannon and her team of volunteers who coordinated, set up, floated around providing hospitality, and put everything away and cleaned up. We also give shout outs to those who provided hospitality around the cake walk and other games. And thank you to Carey, Dana, and Melanie who sat at the hospitality table. We are so grateful for Steve’s generous bike ministry. And thank you to those who donated - hot dogs, buns, chips, water. Thank you to Shane for cooking hot dogs and to Lori and Shirley for serving them. And a big nod to our new friend, Aaron Grandick, the D.J.
Well done, Broadway.