As Judy Mason, a member of Birmingham’s Dawson Memorial Baptist Church, ushered her guests in for the Thanksgiving meal, she greeted them warmly and promptly handed them a name tag.
A name tag, Mason said, is the best way to keep track of the new faces, which are a norm at her annual event.
Every year Mason and her husband, Mike, transform their living room into a dining hall, replacing the furniture with multiple round tables.
They never know exactly how many people will come, because the Masons and their family and friends reach out to anyone facing the holiday alone.
“Everybody’s welcome,” Judy Mason said. “It’s a ministry just being in the presence of one another. It’s a time to be a community and accept one another for who they are and be there for one another.”
While the Masons’ cook the turkey and ham, each guest brings a dish to contribute to the meal.
Once the food is situated, Mason directs each person to their designated table for the first course.
After each course, the guests rotate tables. To help with conversation, Mason puts cards on every table with various topics to discuss.
Family tradition
Mason said spending the holiday this way is not a new concept for her.
“When I was growing up, my dad was in insurance, and he brought people into our house who had no where else to go for Thanksgiving,” she said.
Every year, her parents sat up a covered ping-pong table for the Thanksgiving dinner, which accommodated about 16 people. And the seats would fill as her dad invited friends who would be alone for the holiday.
More than 20 years ago, Mason began a similar tradition when she invited her neighbors over.
Then she invited ministers and those involved in the church who might not get to travel for the holiday. But it didn’t stop there and she has had as many as 59 people attend.
This year’s meal was enjoyed by 38 people.
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