Every week, men and women gather to make meals as part of the Community Supper program, stirring pots and rotating dishes in the ovens, then forming a brigade line in a center island production table. The hot meals go into paper bags, along with fresh fruit and other groceries, that are delivered to folks in their homes.

This week 170 people signed up for a dinner, said the Rev. Eric Olsen. Six months ago, when the dinners first moved from communal suppers to delivered meals, the volunteers served 30.

“It jumped 25 from last week,” said Olsen as he surveyed the dining room, filled with long tables loaded with paper bags. “Did you put out the menu that it was burgers?” he called into the kitchen, where people in masks and aprons were transferring bacon cheeseburgers from sheet pans into Styrofoam containers.

“When it was Brussels sprouts casserole we got three,” he said with a smile. They’ve never made Brussels sprouts casserole.

From left, Ruth Damp, Josh Lohr, Anita Meserole and Paige Moody help prepare meals for Wednesday Community Suppers at the First United Methodist Church of Saranac Lake. (Enterprise photo — Amy Scattergood)

Long before COVID-19 shifted the Wednesday dinners to a take-out model, the church hosted popular communal suppers, serving between 75 and 120 meals a week. Before the Community Suppers, the church organized a food bank.

“We’d have drug addicts and lawyers, a few doctors,” said Olsen of those who would attend the pre-pandemic suppers, many who seemed to come more for the companionship than the food. “We’d get a lot of families. People would just sit and talk.”

Then in March, the church closed its doors and the kitchen shifted direction.

The church’s men’s group started delivering groceries to seniors and those with underlying health conditions. (The women’s group does the rummage sales.) With the help of the staff at Tops Markets — who do the shopping for free — Travis McElyea and the Methodist men have continued the weekly grocery delivery, and recently they’ve been including voter information in the bags.

“We got to thinking that if these people are uncomfortable going to the grocery store,” said McElyea, “then they’re going to be uncomfortable going to the polls.”

This Wednesday’s Community Supper consists of a bacon cheeseburger, creamed beans and fruit salad. (Enterprise photo — Amy Scattergood)

“It’s a community,” said Olsen. “We’re not partisan.”

“We’re careful to protect people’s privacy,” said McElyea, who has printed out information on how to register to vote in the state of New York and how to apply for an absentee ballot. If folks need more help, they’re encouraged to call the church and ask. “For seniors it can present a challenge,” said McElyea, who has also printed out ballots for those without internet.

Both food services are about ministry, said Olsen, who says that he can help ferry other items to those in need “as long as it has the spirit of the meal.”

The basement kitchen, which is permitted as a commercial kitchen, will soon get a makeover. “We’re in fundraising mode to do a new rebuild,” said Olsen, as the space is in need of an upgrade.

Meanwhile, the volunteers keep cooking suppers.

“We pray for decency,” said Olsen. And a bacon cheeseburger doesn’t hurt.

Call the Methodist Church at 518-891-3473 before noon on Wednesday to reserve a free meal, delivered between 4 and 5 p.m. that day.