Organizing a Pot Luck Dinner for Your Church

Having a pot luck meal can be a great and cost effective way for your congregation to gather and have everyone contribute something to. It will definitely require some organization, but with careful planning you can put together a fun and easy event that will be enjoyed by all. Here are some simple tips to help you on your way!

Getting Started

There are a few things you should consider before getting started. First make an estimate of how many people you expect to attend, what percentage will be bringing dishes (hopefully all!), and if you would like to
assign particular types of dishes. One of the easiest ways to do this is to pass around a sign up list with different categories (desserts, sides, etc.), and let people sign up for what type of dish they would like to prepare. Once you have got the guests and the food accounted for, you will want to consider where you will put them all.

What You'll Need

Organizing the floor can be an important part of the event because it is your chance to design the most friendly/efficient gathering space possible. Calculate as best you can how much seating you will need, keeping in mind that people may bring friends along. Make sure you know how many chairs can fit comfortably at each table. Also, remember that you will need tables for holding the food as well. The tables in the buffet line will need to be sturdy enough to hold dishes that are potentially heavy, and have enough space for each dish to be accessed easily. If there will be servers behind the buffet line to help with the serving, consider if they may have trouble standing for long periods of time. If so, you may want to provide seating for them as well.

The Finishing Touches

Once you have acquired and arranged the necessary furniture and have your guest and food lists prepared, a little bit can go a long way in making the event space look a bit nicer than usual. You can cover the tables with tablecloths and add simple centerpieces to the middle of each dining table to add instant flare. Be sure to remember basic things as well, like plates, utensils, serving utensils, napkins, and cups. It may be a good idea to add a category for this on your food sign up list so that this will be taken care of, and to provide an option for those with a creative side who don't like to cook to help out.