Everett church is game for a feast of wild meat
Bethany Christian Assembly's annual dinner is on the wild side
-
Sarah Weiser / The Herald
Pamela Maring of Tulalip laughs as she rolls venison meatballs in preparation for the Bethany Christian Assembly's annual wild meat dinner on Feb 11. Elk roast, deer stew, roasted duck, deep fried turkey and jambalaya with deer sausage were some of the other dishes served. All the meat was caught by people involved with the church.
-
Sarah Weiser / The Herald
Pamela Maring (right) of Tulalip and Elizabeth Grannis, 21, of Everett (left) make venison meatballs in preparation for the Bethany Christian Assembly's annual wild meat dinner on Feb. 11.
-
Sarah Weiser / The Herald
Elizabeth Grannis, 21, of Everett, mashes up venison that she will make into meatballs in preparation for the Bethany Christian Assembly's annual wild meat dinner on Feb. 11
-
Sarah Weiser / The Herald
Jambalaya with deer sausage cooks on the stove at Bethany Christian Assembly in Everett last Saturday in preparation for the church's annual wild meat dinner on Feb. 11.
-
Sarah Weiser / The Herald
Elizabeth Grannis, 21, of Everett, makes venison meatballs in preparation for the Bethany Christian Assembly's annual wild meat dinner on Feb. 11.
His church found a way to bring that back to their congregation and the general public at what's become a popular tradition: the wild meat dinner.
Every year for a quarter of a century, Bethany Christian Assembly has offered up the best of the hunt: elk, venison, bear, ostrich, wild turkey and even cougar.
Members of the church provide the meat from their own freezers. They spend all day long grinding it into meatballs, slathering it with barbecue sauce and roasting it tender and juicy.
They decorate the church gym with game trophies, including stuffed deer heads and mounted cougars.
Then they serve the wild meat to whomever shows up.
Thompson helped start the first wild meat dinner 25 years ago. It was the pastor's idea, a way to attract people to the church who might not normally show up.
"It's a way to reach people who might never come through the church door," Thompson said.
At last Saturday's dinner, more than 300 people showed up, and more than half were people who didn't belong to the congregation.
The church brings in speakers who tell a good hunting yarn. Everybody sits down and enjoys a selection of meats. Most of what's offered is hard to come by in a world where most people don't hunt what they eat.
Cougar is one of the more popular wild meats to try because its more unusual. It has a unique, mellow flavor. Thompson described cougar meat as "recycled deer and elk meat."
"No, it doesn't taste like chicken," he said.
The church, 2715 Everett Ave., is affiliated with the Assemblies of God. It has a congregation of several thousand and its lead pastor is Rob Carlson.
Last week's meat dinner raised $7,500. The money will pay for literature that missionaries give out.
Reporter Debra Smith: 425-339-3197 or dsmith@heraldnet.com
(
