The next Saturday Pasta Dinner at Newtown United Methodist Church will take place on May 2 in the church’s fellowship hall, 92 Church Hill Road in Sandy Hook. It will be the penultimate dinner of the 2014-15 season, which has been marking 25 years of food and community fellowship.

The public is cordially invited to join church members for dinner, which is served from 5 to 7:30 pm

Requested donation is $10 for adult dinners, and $9 for seniors, and $3.50 for children.

Dinner includes fruit cup, salad with choice of dressings, pasta with choice of sauces (meatless, mild, or spicy), garlic bread, and an array of homemade desserts.

Dinner is followed at 7:45 pm by a performance of bluegrass, country, and folk music played by Roger Sprung & Friends. Mr Sprung, a longtime resident of Sandy Hook, is a world champion banjo player who has been recognized as a pioneer of bluegrass music by The International Bluegrass Music Museum.

The entertainment donation is $4 with dinner or $5 without. This covers all coffee, soft drinks, and snacks served until 10:30.

Entry to fellowship hall is through the lower parking lot, behind the building, and plenty of parking is available. Call 203-426-9998 for additional information.

The 25th anniversary of the project was celebrated in March, marking a quarter of a century of members of Newtown United Methodist sharing dinner space with countless others, including “those who do not identify with any religious group,” Martha Millet, who started the project, told The Newtown Bee in March. At that time, it was looking like the NUMC Pasta Project would be ending at the end of the current season. While the once-monthly dinners have become a staple in the calendars of many NUMC members, Mrs Millet and other volunteers who have been involved for years were looking to take a break.

Initially they were not hearing from anyone who wanted to take over. Mrs Millet contacted The Newtown Bee this week, however, to announce that three people — Ellie Lewis, and Barbara and Dennis Bloom — have stepped up to take over the Pasta Project.

Chuck Sampson, she added, will take over the NUMC Coffee House as of September.

“Ellie, Barbara and Dennis will be on board in May and June, and will take over September 5,” Mrs Millet said. “We are extremely grateful to each of these individuals and will be of assistance when called upon.

“This is good news!” she added.