On Christmas Day, the doors of First Presbyterian Church opened with a simple purpose: no one should spend the holiday alone.
The church hosted a free Christmas Day dinner on Thursday, Dec. 25, welcoming anyone who wanted to share a meal, a conversation, or a quiet moment of fellowship. Guests were invited to dine in, take a meal to go, or use the drive-thru. There was no cost and no requirement beyond showing up.
“This morning we are serving Christmas dinner to our neighbors,” said Pastor Matt Henderson. “We recognize that many don’t have family or a feast in front of them, and we want to make sure that everyone who is hungry, or who wants a place to eat or take food home, has that opportunity.”
Darrin Johnston organizes the annual meal, which has become one of the church’s largest outreach efforts of the year. Volunteers prepared to serve up to 600 meals, with a clear commitment that no one who came would be turned away.
“This really grew out of Thanksgiving,” Johnston said. He began volunteering years ago with the Clarkesville Community Thanksgiving meal, which later moved to the church when its previous location closed. A few years later, while serving on the church’s mission and outreach committee, another idea took shape.
“We started thinking, ‘Why don’t we do something that the church can get involved with on Christmas?’” Johnston said. “It was kind of borne out of Thanksgiving. Very similar reasoning, very similar thought process of why we’re doing it.”
Henderson said church leaders realized that while many Thanksgiving meals were offered in the community, Christmas Day looked very different.
“There were a lot of Thanksgiving meals being served throughout the community, but there didn’t seem to be very many Christmas meals going out,” Henderson said. “So we picked up that opportunity and ran with it.” Now in its fourth year, the Christmas Day dinner continues to grow. The number of meals prepared is based on the previous year’s demand.
While inspired by the Thanksgiving tradition, Johnston emphasized that the Christmas dinner is a separate, church-hosted event. Still, the guiding idea is the same: shared meals matter most when they come without conditions.
“There are people who maybe aren’t homeless, but they have insufficient means to have a holiday dinner, or maybe they’re by themselves. We have a lot of elderly people who come in who don’t really have any family, and they don’t have anywhere to go,” Johnston said. “We open the doors, and they can come and sit down and eat, or they can get a plate to go. It’s an opportunity just to be with people and fellowship on Christmas and be very cognizant of the reason for the season.”
Early to rise and serve
Volunteers began arriving before 8 a.m. on Christmas morning to prepare food, organize service, and welcome guests. The work, Henderson said, was the culmination of days of preparation, including smoking turkeys earlier in the week and pulling meat the morning of the meal.
Before serving began, volunteers paused for a brief, private gathering that blended worship with service.
“Our big service of worship is Christmas Eve,” Henderson said. “But we also have a worshipful service of serving. We started with prayer and a couple of carols, just acknowledging the reason for the season and the inspiration for helping others — Jesus Christ.”
That moment, he said, was meant for volunteers before the doors opened to the community later in the morning.
For many guests, the day was as much about connection as it was about food. Elderly visitors lingered over conversations. Friends greeted one another by name. Families volunteered together, some with children and grandchildren home for the holidays. Johnston said one of the youngest helpers, a 7-year-old volunteer, proudly took on the role of packing dessert plates.
Beyond church walls
The outreach extended well beyond the church walls. Volunteer drivers delivered meals to nursing homes, the hospital emergency room, the 911 center, the sheriff’s office, fire stations, and businesses that remained open on Christmas Day, including restaurants and gas stations.
“It’s a way to say thank you,” Johnston said. “To first responders, medical workers, and people who are working today so the rest of us can be safe. We want them to know they’re appreciated.”
For Johnston, the Christmas dinner has also become personally grounding during a season often overwhelmed by busyness and commercialization.
“I get far more out of this than I give,” he said. “It keeps me focused on the reason for the season and reminds me what really matters — faith, community, and caring for one another.”
Henderson said that spirit reflects the church’s broader mission.
“It’s a joy to continue in this ministry of helping others,” he said. “On a day like Christmas, opening the doors and making room for everyone is one of the clearest ways we can live out what we believe.”
For those who attend, the Christmas Day dinner offers something simple yet vital: a place at the table, ready and waiting.
