PITTSTON – While many Lenten food sales have been ongoing for decades, Saint John the Evangelist Parish just recently decided to get in the game.
“We started just within the last couple of years, but it has been growing and growing each year,” Father Joseph Elston, pastor, said.
Every Friday during Lent, in addition to Good Friday, the parish is selling potato pancakes and take-and-heat pizza to the community.
“The food is really, very tasty and it is fresh. They can come here, and it is ready to go,” employee Cathy Rusnok stated.
About a dozen volunteers come together each week to make the Lenten food sale a reality.
Jackie Rinish helps to prepare all the ingredients and mix up the potato pancake batter. She said the idea for the Lenten food sale started off as a team building project for parish staff and quickly grew into an important way for people to support the parish.
“It is fun for us to be together, to cook together, and serve the community,” Rinish explained. “We welcome everyone.”
The potato pancakes are sold for three for $5, while orders of red pizza or white pizza with broccoli are $15/tray.
“The food is really great,” parishioner Margie Vetack said.
After trying the potato pancakes on the first Friday in Lent and the broccoli pizza on March 14, Vetack already knows what she is getting next.
“I already have my order in for next week to try the red pizza. Everything is very good,” she added.
Father Elston said he wasn’t surprised by the sales’ success as anticipation builds for the parish’s much-anticipated summer festival.
“People love them (potato pancakes) during the picnic in the summer. Now they can get a late winter or early spring taste,” he joked.
Pre-orders are appreciated by calling the parish office at (570) 654-0053, but organizers say walk-ins are also welcome. Food pick-up takes place from 3:30 to 6:00 p.m. in the Monsignor Bendik Pastoral Center.