Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

With COVID-19 canceling many holiday traditions, one delicious one is still happening.

Magnolia United Methodist Church is hosting its annual Shrove Tuesday Pancake Dinner.

The dinner includes pancakes, sausage links and cooked apples. These dinners will be available for take out from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. on Feb. 16, at the church at 1764 Wilroy Road.

“To fix all kinds of fatty foods is a family tradition for that Tuesday night,” said Sheena Laine, pastor at Magnolia UMC. “With COVID closing down many churches in Suffolk, many can’t do much. So, we want to let them have a chance to be a part of the Christian community.”

The Methodist tradition of eating pancakes on Shrove Tuesday, also known as Fat Tuesday or Mardi Gras, is due to it being the day before Ash Wednesday. Ash Wednesday starts the 40 days before Easter, called Lent. During Lent, participants typically give something up during this time. Traditionally, participants would give up oily and fatty foods, making pancakes an easy way to use up the last of their butter and oil. These 40 days are to reflect Jesus’ 40 days in the desert when He fasted before starting His ministry.

“Lent is a time to give up things, and we have given up so much due to COVID, and this is our chance to give back to the community to partake,” said Laine. “We are only asking for a love offering, but it is not required. We just want to give to the community.”

As many churches remain closed, Magnolia UMC wants to remain active and do what they can to give back to the community during this hard time. Magnolia UMC has reopened its food pantry on the third Tuesday of every month.

The format of this dinner will be take out or drive-through in order to keep social distancing. Orders are due by noon on Feb. 15 by calling Jerry McClenney at 334-3873.