Home-cooked Meals Made with Love for PrayerWorks Community

For several years, The Five Crazy Ladies, a group of women who really seem to enjoy each other’s company, have shared their passion for cooking with as many as 150 guests attending the Friday evening community dinner at PrayerWorks hall.

Once a month, the ladies who are often joined by St. Augustine of Canterbury, Edmonton Rector the Rev. Jonathan Crane, decide on a menu, purchase groceries and gather donated food bank items to supplement the meal. Crane can always be counted on to help with meal preparation, especially with physical tasks like lifting six enormous pans of piping hot lasagna out of the oven.

Last fall, the ladies decided they would like to provide a Christmas bag for every guest who attended the turkey dinner. One of the women mentioned the idea at her workplace and her colleague volunteered to crochet scarves and neck warmers. Another ministry team member told a relative who then asked his company to provide toiletries. The ladies put out a call for warm socks adding a pair, along with Christmas candies, to each bag. Finally, volunteers from all walks of life came together to help assemble 150 bags and spread cheer and goodwill to the men, women and children attending the Christmas dinner.

The women say they enjoy each other’s company and look forward to their “cooking days.” They are excited about two upcoming meals: a full Ukrainian dinner and a special meal at Easter, and have begun crocheting hats for the next Christmas offering.

“This really is a fine production,” says Crane. “The ladies provide good wholesome food and they have a lot of fun doing it.”

Many parishes in the Edmonton diocese contribute to the PrayerWorks Hall community meal program, which includes a Thursday lunch, Friday supper and Saturday breakfast. To donate your time and talents to this ministry (servers are needed, in addition to cooks), please contact the Rev. Madeleine Urion, program coordinator, by email: maddie@stfaithsanglican.org