Albion church serves last meal from historic building

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 5 March 2015 at 12:00 am

Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – Members of the First United Methodist Church in Albion have served about 150 lasagnas dinners this evening from the historic church at the corner of Platt and East State streets.

Pastor Jack Laskowski hands a plate of lasagna to Diane Scharping, right, while Rachel Morasco cooks some pasta in back.

Kae Wilbert, right, served bowls of salad to Ed Neal, left, and his grandson Justin Robinson.

The church serves community dinners four times a year. This is expected to be the final dinner served from the church before the congregation leaves the site. It will have church services from Christ Episcopal Church beginning on April 5, Easter Sunday. The United Methodists will have their services at 9:30 a.m. on Sundays with Sunday school to follow.

Ellie Lockwood is at the table full of brownies. The support pillars, used to help prop up the roof in the sanctuary, can be partially seen. The congregation is leaving the site due to the roof problems. The church doesn’t have the $1 million need for the roof replacement.

The church wants to continue its quarterly community dinners and is planning to use the kitchen and dining hall at the First Presbyterian Church. A community supper will also be served from the site the last Wednesdays of each month, a tradition at the United Methodist Church.

Church member Kae Wilbert said the congregation is sad to leave the building and faces lots of work before vacates the site. However, she is pleased to see the emerging colloborations with other churches.

“We’re all glad a decision has been made,” Wilbert said. “We’re tired of being sad and being focused primarily on the church building.”