The Christmas holiday season for many Christians concludes with marking the Epiphany — the Magi’s visit to baby Jesus. All around the world, people celebrate the Epiphany in different ways. In Spain, the Philippines, and many Latin American countries, children leave their shoes out overnight to find presents in them upon waking. Parades commemorating the Magi’s long journey to see Jesus abound around the globe. Czechs take an icy plunge into the Vltava River, as do people in Russia, Bulgaria, and Greece. (Could this be the origin of the Maeystown Polar Bear Club’s annual plunge in Maeystown Creek, I wonder?) In Germany, France, and Mexico, three kings cakes are eaten and shared with gusto.

This past Saturday, Jan. 4, four churches in Waterloo, Dupo, and Columbia, all belonging to the Illinois South Conference of the United Church of Christ, celebrated the Epiphany with a progressive dinner. The participants enjoyed a feast over four hours at four locations, beginning with appetizers and concluding with dessert. Each church hosted a different course, with their congregants preparing the individual dishes. Guests enjoyed their hospitality as well as their decorated sanctuaries, adorned with Christmas trees, wreaths, ornaments, poinsettias, and the warmth of the season. 

The purpose of the progressive dinner was in part a response to the United Church of Christ’s appeal for additional relief efforts following Hurricanes Helene and Milton. Donations aid the ongoing work of disaster response teams. Though the dinner celebration felt like a time of abundance, with each church’s bounty and generosity overflowing, the opportunity to donate was a sobering reminder that this holiday season was one of loss for many communities affected by the catastrophic flooding and tornadic winds of the tropical cyclones last October. 

The appetizer course was at St. Paul United Church of Christ, 127 St. Paul Street, Columbia. 

The courses were served in the respective fellowship halls, adjacent to bustling kitchens and attended by servant-hearted “church ladies.” At St. Paul UCC in Columbia, two giant round tables, overflowing with platters of favorite holiday appetizers, were flanked by two towering five-armed silver candelabras. The menu mirrored my family’s holiday food traditions, where we graze on snacks from morning to night. Too late, I realized that my eyes were bigger than my stomach, as my plate rounded with enough food for two. 

No appetizer sampler would be complete without an extensive variety of Midwest meats, and St. Paul UCC parishioners did not disappoint. Most importantly, they brought the bacon. I indulged with bacon wrapped dates, bacon wrapped apricots with pecans, and bacon wrapped smokies with brown sugar glaze. We gobbled up pigs in a blanket, meatballs swimming in both sweet and savory sauces, homemade sausage, and a luscious crab dip.

Crackers and chips were available for a variety of dips. Things I’ll attempt to recreate for my own family included a feta cranberry walnut honey dip, a feta kalamata and sundried tomato dip, and phyllo shells hugging a dollop of jalapeno and cream cheese goodness. I admired the reasonable church-goer who prepared a vintage Tupperware divided serving tray with healthy vegetables. Bless her heart. 

I was thankful for the driving breaks between feasting, as I evidently forgot that we still had three more hours of eating. Some congregations offered transportation via their church vans so travelers could enjoy fellowship along the journey.

The soup course was at Christ United Church of Christ, 200 South Third Street, Dupo. 

Next, we headed to Christ UCC in Dupo to enjoy a smörgåsbord of soups and stews. The Vegetable Beef was a hearty vegetable broth based stew studded with chunks of tomato and beef. Made by Nancy Lynch from an online recipe, she improvised it with zucchini — a treasured addition from her frozen summer bounty. The Chili was a popular selection. Its dominant flavor profile featured a balance of sweet and smoky. Nancy revealed that her husband Patrick Lynch cooked this chili. She generously offered up his two secret ingredients: pancake syrup and a can of pork and beans. 

The New England Clam Chowder was another hit. We were expecting it to be cream-forward with just a teeny hint (if any) of clam. We dove into it, anticipating the buttery creamy comfort of the midwest version of this classic. However, we were surprised — pleasantly so — to be transported to the wild Atlantic coasts of Maine and Cape Cod with the first spoonful. Its deep clam flavor seemed to come from a doubled or even tripled amount of clams compared to its midwestern adaptations. Upon hearing the exclamation of delight, Jan Mogg came rushing out of the kitchen. She told us that the recipe she used to prepare it came from the famed bygone restaurant, Noah’s Ark, in St. Louis. 

The other soup selections were: Cream of Potato, Chicken Wild Rice, and Broccoli Cheese. Each was outstanding in its own right. The Cream of Potato and Broccoli Cheese soups were favorites of the pre-teens in our group. “I would eat broccoli like this every day,” said one of them as she finished her bowl. “The Cream of Potato is my favorite because…potato and cream — it can’t get any better than that,” said another. The Chicken Wild Rice was popular with several other diners — the chicken being tender and juicy, with just the right amount of cream, onions, and carrots to bring out the nuttiness of the wild rice. 

The entrée course was at Zoar United Church of Christ, 9103 D Road, Columbia. 

After guests assembled in the new fellowship hall at Zoar, with the tantalizing aroma of baked cheese wafting through the air, Rev. R.J. Morgan of Zoar UCC led the group in a prayer. I eagerly lined up for the bowtie pasta with chicken and broccoli, but requested only half the portion given to the person in front of me as my waistband became less forgiving as the night progressed. I thoroughly enjoyed the salad of crisp lettuce and chopped veggies, lightly seasoned in a sweet Italian dressing. I also could not resist the buttery garlic bread, insulated under an inch of melted cheese.

One challenge for the hosts of a progressive dinner is serving the dish at the desired temperature when the guests arrive. Typically the host of the next course is traveling with the caravan of guests. However, each church had a team of volunteers who stayed behind to prepare the fellowship halls and serve the food. Admirably, they also remained after guests departed to wash the dishes and sweep the floors. 

Anytime we visit Zoar, I’m impressed by their warm reception. This 175 year old congregation has a history of hosting the larger community, and their kitchen staff also demonstrates this hospitality. Though the Zoar “church ladies” were reluctant to be photographed for this article, they were, as always, a welcoming and attentive group. Many thanks to Cathy Brandt, Althea Taake, Mary Kalbfleisch, Ruth Ann Beard and others who served a hearty and scrumptious entrée. 

The dessert course was at St. Paul United Church of Christ, 200 N. Main Street, Waterloo.

Dressed in her warm Christmas glow, St. Paul UCC welcomed the travelers to their final course. As you enter her main doorways, you are greeted by a four-foot metallic gold chicken adorned in holiday scarf and hat, a playful nod to the colloquial name of this congregation, the “chicken church.” Look for the chicken atop the sanctuary steeple the next time you’re in downtown Waterloo.

Guests admired the sanctuary, which seemed wide and cavernous in comparison to the three prior churches. Some common features are observed in each church, like the rose-red carpet, long wooden pews, and the Gothic style pointed window arches. Waterloo misses the quaint upper balconies present in the Dupo and Columbia churches, but makes up for it with the grandeur of the floor to ceiling stained glass along the soaring pipes of the organ, and the warmth from the timber throughout.

Guests were welcomed into the newly renovated lobby before reaching the dessert table. Chocolate treats included mint brownies and Texas Sheet Cake. Sweet “salads” including a fruit jello pan and a fluffy strawberry marshmallow bowl appealed to my daughter. A cupcake tree offered frosted delights. Crumb cake, apple pie, cookies and of course gooey butter cake rounded out the table.

One of the joys of the evening was meeting people across the region, both UCC members and their guests. I learned that both St. Paul UCC Columbia and Waterloo have adopted a ministry called “Messy Church.” At Messy Church, attendees participate in “hands on” church, which is sometimes messy, through stations that feature games, crafts, music, and storytelling. You won’t find readings from the lectionary there, but instead you might see intergenerational relationships form and experience creative ways to learn about Christ and Biblical principles. As a parent, I appreciate this less structured environment for my children as they experience God in their own creative way. After all, life is messy, and so are we. It is a place where all can feel welcome. One foundational element of Messy Church is gathering around a table for a snack or meal. Through breaking bread (or during our recent Messy Church experience, frosting cupcakes), we build relationships with each other and God.

During the progressive dinner, I considered how these churches are … progressing. Both St. Paul congregations are attempting to meet the shifting needs of families through Messy Church. But not all churches are evolving well, faced with a scarcity in leadership and dwindling attendance. As these churches evolve, and unfortunately struggle under cultural pressures and changing societal priorities, I hope we remember their histories and how they have shaped our community. One of my fellow dinner guests wondered aloud during his self-guided tour, “If these walls could talk!” I thought the same. I hope these churches can continue to open their doors to all. Connecting with others through the progressive dinner in the post-Covid era was just the joy I needed embarking on 2025.

“Taste Buds” is an online column written by Vivanda Felice and Pipa Benoit, pseudonyms for two Monroe County foodies dedicated to supporting and highlighting local food spirit and culture.