This past Tuesday warm meals were handed out to comfort the community on the chilly, windy evening at the Harbor Church Roll Call dinner from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Roll Call has been a tradition ever since the start of the twentieth century. It has been, “a day of commitment and feasting to Block Island,” according to Pastor Peter Preiser. Due to Covid-19, the usual sit-down dinner at the Harbor Church was modified to a meal pick-up. It was first-come first-serve and there were no guidelines for donations. The food served included mashed potatoes, squash, bread, coleslaw, green beans, stuffing, and 30 turkeys cooked mostly by members of the community, along with pies. “Once a year we read the membership roll to celebrate our gathering of the church,” Preiser said. “It’s like a happy birthday.”Harbor Church sexton and manager of the Rose Farm Inn, Alton Bentley, who is studying to become a minister, helped organize the food and contributed quality time and support for the dinner.
The pick-up dinner was successful according to Preiser: “Roll Call dinner was a tremendous success for Harbor Church and many people contributed pies, turkeys, time, and dollars in support of this
