cook@church is a cooking club for young people who want to enjoy cooking with people in their community
Who
cook@church is for anyone in school years 6-10, living in or around the villages of Fressingfield, Stradbroke, Mendham, Metfield, Weybread and Withersdale. You can be a complete beginner or an accomplished cook. If you are whizz in the kitchen we’d love to learn from you. It is run by the local church, but you don’t have to go to church, or have a faith to come along.
Our volunteers are enthusiastic foodies who love to share their recipes, skills and tips, as well sharing the meals that are prepared at each meeting. Our group is led by Carolyn Page, who is a food nut – she loves cooking and eating, enjoys eating out and is always looking for new recipes and ingredients. Carolyn is a Lay Elder in the Sancroft Benefice of churches.
Where
Metfield Village Hall, Skinner's Lane, Metfield, Suffolk IP20 0LH
When
First Sunday of the month, 5-7pm
Why
It all started because there was little for young people to do in the village of Metfield and they go to a number of different senior schools in the area, so their social networks are spread out. The local church decided to provide an activity which brought together local children, with other members of the community, to build a multigenerational cooking club.
We have three watchwords that guide us:
Cook- We cook and share a two-course meal together. The joy of making food, the companionship around the kitchen, the gratitude of friends in conversation around the table accompanied by the clink of cutlery and glass, these are experiences impossible to replicate in any other way. A meal cooked, shared, and enjoyed fills the stomach, but also sparks creativity and gives the satisfaction and gift of togetherness.
Pray- We want to care for our bodies, minds and spirits so we invite everyone who gathers around the cook@church table to join in a time of prayerfulness, in whatever way they feel they would like to. Together we say thank you for what we have and are mindful of those who have little or nothing. We make time during our meal to be quiet and bring to mind what is going on in our lives. We celebrate our joys and successes, and we name our difficulties and worries. We share all these things out loud or in silence.
Love- We believe that God loves everyone, just as they are and try to create a welcoming place where everyone is free to be themselves and appreciated for who they are. We recognise a deep connection between food shared and love. There are many stories of Jesus serving food to hungry folk, welcoming guests, and arranging meals and parties. When he took bread and blessed it, poured wine and gave thanks, he was doing something very special. He was respecting and caring for human bodies, but also giving a tangible blessing which welcomed them to the food, to the place, to the community and to him – this is our hope for cook@church.
