Food is central to lots of church events. Here in west Tennessee, wild game suppers are huge among the hunters and fishermen who take great pride in their rub, marinade, and grilling skills. Some of the best eating you’ll ever experience can be found in little rural churches scattered around the south. And the menu may include delicacies such as squirrel stew and baked coon. The importance of food, even wild game suppers, to attract folks to church, is well-known and encouraged by organizational agencies.
But sometimes things can go wrong.
A St. Patrick’s Irish Picnic became a nightmare for a Tennessee community when more than fifty people became ill after eating food served at the event. Health department investigators were seeking the cause for the rash of illness which included a few cases of salmonella.
What does your church do to make sure your food is served safely?
Do you have folks with basic food safety knowledge who manage these events for you?
Is someone responsible for insuring that your church kitchen and equipment is clean and safe? Is there a record of cleaning or service to equipment? Are food and supplies properly stored?
The likelihood of a food disaster striking your church is small and food-borne illnesses are easy to prevent. By placing a knowledgeable person in charge of your kitchen and food service events, you can virtually insure your congregation that the only crisis that will ever occur in your kitchen is when the chicken is gone before the preacher gets to eat.
Ask that question to a dozen different people and you will get a dozen different answers. And all twelve will most likely be driven by opinions and experiences, mostly bad ones, from somewhere in their pasts. When it comes right down to it, most folks have no clue as to what a church board member is really supposed to do. But don’t tell them that. Most of them don’t know that they don’t know.
