Date: Fri 14-Feb-1997

Publication: Bee

Author: ANDREA

Quick Words:

Shrove-pancakes-St-John's

Full Text:

The Shrove Tuesday Pancake Dinner Tradition

(with cuts)

BY ANDREA ZIMMERMANN

The event seems to symbolize something different to each person who attends,

but the draw is always the same - fellowship with friends and, of course, the

corned beef hash.

At St. John's Episcopal Church in Sandy Hook, the tradition of Shrove Tuesday

Pancake Dinners is at least 39 years old because there are people still around

like Hazel Tilson who tell of working at every single one. The tradition's

longevity is verified not only by Mrs Tilson's scrapbook of newspaper

clippings displayed at her ticket booth, but by her 16 relatives spanning four

generations who continue to cook, serve, wash and (the youngest) set tables.

"The church was our social life - our folks were very active, so naturally we

were, too," said Marilyn Thompson, who is Hazel's niece. "We're a small

church. But there are so many new families - young people - here and it's

exciting."

The dinner is definitely a family affair - in the kitchen you will find

Marilyn and her cousin Cheryl Moulthrop working the pass-through and

dishwasher, while Cheryl's husband, Bruce (a culinary graduate and food

service supervisor), puts finishing touches on vats of his homemade hash and

helps Jack Hornak cook pancakes and sausage on the griddle.

Adult and young workers wait on tables, serving a meal of pancakes,

applesauce, choice of sausage or hash, and coffee on china plates.

"We are very children-oriented here," said JoAnn Hornak as her six-year old,

Jackie, zoomed by with a plateful for her grandmother. "The first Sunday of

every month is Children's Sunday, where the children partake in readings,

collection of the offering, and take up the host for communion. And they are

very much a part of the pancake supper."

For the past nine years, Nancy and John Hornak have traveled to St. John's

from their home in Fairfield to enjoy the gathering.

"It's good public relations, and that does help a parish," said John.

"People wait all year for the hash - it's wonderful," said JoAnn. "The dinner

is part of our celebration before Lent, following the tradition of eating

before fasting."

"Shrove comes from the word `shriven,' which means `absolution,'" explained

Pastor George Brower, of St. John's Church. "[Historically] Shrove Tuesday has

been a day of confession and absolution, then you are ready to go into Ash

Wednesday. The pancake idea might have come from the excluding all eggs and

milk from food through Lent."

Some refer to the day as "Fat Tuesday" because it was the day to invite

friends and family to help eat the stored foods in the house, leaving only the

basics, said Pastor Brower.

"Not only getting rid of things in the cupboards, but cleaning out our own

lives, as well," he said.

The pancake dinner is just one way in which St. John's hopes to bring the

community together, while preserving a tradition. Although non-parishioners

have often come in the past, the minister was pleased several pastors from

local churches had planned to drop by on Tuesday.

A Tasty Tradition

The pancake dinner was started by St. John's Ladies Afternoon Guild, and later

continued by the Evening Guild. About six of the founding families are still

represented in the workforce.

The guild members included "Rose McClannahan, Doris Schoonmaker, who reminds

me how she mixed the batter, Anna Johnson, Bessie Robinson, Emma Peterson -

all deceased matriarchs of the church - Kate Knapp, Sadie Peterson, and Pearl

Tilson," said Cheryl Moulthrop. Judge Ed Knapp, Bob Sturges and George Spencer

were the original pancake turners.

"I believe that the tradition may go back farther [than 39 years], possibly

interrupted by a hiatus during the Second World War," said Mrs Moulthrop. "I

seem to remember stories told to me by my grandmother, Pearl Tilson, a

long-time guild member, that the men's club or possibly Girl's Friendly may

have sponsored the suppers previously."

Years ago, sausage meat was donated by H.G. Warner & Company. Mrs Tilson's

brother, Roswell J. Tilson, worked at the general store and made the sausage -

handpacked into patties - for St. John's pancake dinner.

"The Warner family continues to support this event right up to the present,"

said Cheryl.

In 1983, when Cheryl's husband began to help at the dinner, he wanted to

change the meat featured with the dinner by introducing a tradition from his

church in Watertown - corned beef hash.

"After a heated discussion, we all decided to offer a choice , and thereafter

`Bruce's Homemade Corned Beef Hash' was a part of St John's tradition.

"My mother worked here," said Mrs Tilson. "It's been handed down. We've all

worked together on it for so many years. We look forward to it every Shrove

Tuesday."

"I think you'd almost feel like a traitor if you didn't come," laughed Marilyn

Thompson.