Old Lyme Churches Host Community Dinner Tonight to Raise Awareness, Support for Syrian Refugee Family Resettlement in Lyme

The First Congregational Church of Old Lyme, Christ the King Church and Saint Ann’s Episcopal Church will hold a joint community dinner – featuring a smorgasbord of traditional Syrian foods and dishes – at 6 p.m. on Saturday, April 1, at Christ The King Church. The aim of the dinner is to help raise awareness and support for the churches’ efforts to resettle a second family of Syrian refugees in Lyme.

There is no charge to attend and enjoy the community dinner; admission is free.  An offering will be taken up during the meal to allow anyone who would like to contribute to the churches’ ongoing Syrian family relocation efforts to do so.

The meal will be prepared by members of the Hamou family – the first family of Syrian refugees that the churches helped resettle to the Old Lyme community last year – and served with the assistance of congregation members.

The churches encourage residents who would like to attend the dinner to RSVP via email to any of the church offices:  FCCOL, [email protected]; Christ the King Church, [email protected]; Saint Ann’s Episcopal Church, [email protected].

In announcing the community dinner, FCCOL Pastor Steve Jungkeit said, “The images of the horrific refugee crisis in the Middle East have touched the hearts of so many of us in Old Lyme.  We were proud to link arms with our friends at Christ the King Church and Saint Ann’s Episcopal Church to sponsor the resettlement of the Hamou family – to help the family into a new home, schools and jobs here in Old Lyme.”

Jungkeit continued, “It’s been a rewarding experience for everyone involved.  And now the Hamou family is joining with us to help our churches rescue another Syrian refugee family from warfare and persecution.  I am incredibly proud of the community of Old Lyme and invite everyone to join us for this fund-raising dinner.”

For more information, visit FCCOL at www.fccol.org, Christ the King Church at https://www.christthekingchurch.net, and Saint Ann’s Episcopal Church at http://saintannsoldlyme.org.