EAST SPENCER — On Thanksgiving Day, Love Christian Center opened the church to provide a free meal to anyone in the community.

Trays of smoked turkey, dressing, greens, sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce, gravy and pies welcomed church members and the general public.

Coordinator Edith Downs said she began offering a free Thanksgiving meal more than a decade ago.

“Ever since my mother passed in 1996,” Downs said. “She was sick for about 10 years, and I cooked Thanksgiving dinner. After she passed, I won’t be cooking Thanksgiving dinner anymore. The Holy Spirit told me to feed somebody else. I talked to my pastor about it. For several years, I did it by myself, and then the church started participating.”

Members of the church help prepare the meal and serve guests.

Cedric Donaldson, who attends Love Christian Center, said he has eaten a Thanksgiving lunch there for the past couple of years.

“I really appreciate it,” Donaldson said. “We need more churches like this.”

Sarah Christenbury, who was sitting next to Donaldson, said she enjoys not only the meal but the fellowship.

The church fed more than 100 people from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Afterward, Downs delivered meals to people who are disabled or can’t drive.

“I deliver,” she said. “After we finish here, I go out and deliver meals. I probably have about 50 meals to deliver.”

Downs looked around before heading back into the kitchen area to help.

“Everyone seems to be enjoying,” she said.

Other churches that provided a free Thanksgiving meal Thursday included Providence Baptist Church in East Spencer and True Holiness Church of God in Kannapolis.