PLAINVILLE -- It's 5:20 p.m. on the second Saturday of the month, and the house - or the basement of the Plainville United Methodist Church, at least - is nearly full for the featured presentation.

The audience, largely an older group, is chatting and laughing amongst themselves.

Meanwhile, in the kitchen, things are cookin'. A core cluster of volunteers is slicing and layering warm ham on plates, stirring a big pot of beans on the stove and placing bread in baskets, among other tasks.

At precisely 5:30 p.m., the Reverend Peter Parent says a word of prayer.

Then they bring on the food. For as long as anyone can remember, church suppers here and at other local churches have been a staple of the community.

Organizers say the suppers have long helped to raise revenue to maintain and operate the physical facilities, but have also provided sustenance in the form of fellowship served up with favorite homemade food.

In addition, where else can people get companionship dished up with good food at a fraction of the price they'd pay at a restaurant?

The family-style, all-you-can-eat, sit-down meals typically range from $3.50 for children to up to $10 for adults. Considering the meal also includes a beverage and dessert, "you can hardly make it on your own for that price," said Debbie Burgess, a church supper helper at the Chartley United Methodist Church in Norton.

"Church suppers certainly serve a multitude of purposes," Edmund Clavette, moderator of the First Congregational Church in North Attleboro, also known as the Oldtown church, agreed.

Funds and fellowship

Like the other churches which hold suppers, First Congregational's dinners "account for a good amount of our operating budget" along with fairs, he said.

In addition, "it's a great opportunity for fellowship and outreach to the community overall," he said, noting many of the 90 people seated during the six suppers sponsored by the church annually are not members. Once more, "We do some pretty good cooking there," Clavette said. There is also the comradery which cooks up amongst the volunteers.

The diners are, like at most of the other church suppers, mostly middle-aged and older.

Burgess, of Chartley's United Methodist - where the suppers are famous for their soups - notes along with others, that it reflects the trend over the years of diminishing congregations and the hectic schedules of younger families along with two-income households, something that did not exist back when church suppers first started. "At least going to suppers is a connection," said Burgess, noting they still get some families, including her own, with children and the grandchildren. Their suppers typically draw between 60 and 70 people. Meals-to-go are also becoming a popular aspect to the suppers.

Likewise at the Plainville church suppers, many of those who attend the suppers aren't members of the church, said Joan Clarke, who has for years, along with a key group of others, cooked, sliced and diced, dished out the helpings, sold tickets, set up, served and cleaned up at the events which typically draw between 80 and 90 people.

Barbara Boynton of South Attleboro is one of those sold on the suppers.

In fact, she's a veteran church supper attendee, not only sitting down to the popular ham and bean supper being served up this particular evening in the Plainville church basement, but also attending the chicken dinners at her own church, Centenary United Methodist, and the church dinners in North Attleboro.

"I make the rounds," she admitted. "You don't have to cook and when you're single and alone, this beats everything," she said, as server Craig Brown delivers a platter stacked high with ham to her table.

"You get to see people you haven't seen in a while and the food is excellent all the time," she said.

There's even an art to the seating at some of the suppers, with many regulars reserving tables to gather with friends, family and acquaintances.

Boynton is sitting next to her long-time friend and fellow veteran church supper-goer Agnes Curran. They've been friends since the 7th grade.

Dennis Murphy of Plainville, isn't a congregant of the Methodist Church in Plainville either, but he's a regular as well.

"I'd like to think we're the only Catholics here," he joked.

Murphy said his wife Terri is a social being and she likes to attend the suppers, which is as much a social event as a place to get a meal. Besides, she doesn't like to cook, he said.

"It's good food and great company and you learn more about Attleboro and North Attleboro" breaking bread with folks from other communities, Murphy said. He brought his father along from Millis for the supper.

"It's good seeing old friends, too," he added, noting the gentleman next to him is someone he worked with 30 years ago.

On this particular evening, Don's Diner has donated the potato salad. A popular coleslaw is also being served, the recipe of which can be found in the cookbook on sale at the dinner.

The First Congregational Church in North Attleboro also has a cookbook which may include the recipe for the time-honored German potato salad served at some of the suppers, but not the secret recipe for French dressing perfected by church clerk and historian Carolyn Chretien's mother, Elsie Morris. Morris first improvised it when they ran out during a church supper years ago. It is now bottled and sold at the church's fairs.

For that church, as is the case with many others, the suppers are a time-honored tradition. Chretien said her church's suppers can be traced back as far as the late 1800s, starting with clam bakes. Turkey dinners with all the fixings and corned beef and cabbage suppers are now the most popular.

Burgess has been with the Chartley church since 1963 and has always recalled church suppers, along with companionship, being served there.

The chicken pie dinner is pretty popular, she said. But the corned beef and cabbage dinner can compete with the best, she maintains. "It's a wonderful recipe," she said of church supper chef Ruth Teixeira. "She covers it in honey."

F0IL0The followingF0IL0 is a list of some upcoming church suppers in the area open to the general public.

NORTH ATTLEBORO

The First Congregational Church of North Attleboro, 675 Old Post Rd.

Sept. 22: Turkey supper; servings at 4:30 and 6 p.m.

Oct. 20: Spaghetti and meatball supper; serving at 6 p.m.

F0IL0$8 forF0IL0 adults, $4 for children under 10. Reservations are required. Call 508-695-5138 or 508-695-2214. For more information, visit oldtownucc.org or call 508-695-1713. Other suppers are held during the year.

NORTON

Chartley United Methodist Church, 76 South Worcester St.

Sept. 22: Chicken pie supper; serving at 5 p.m.

Oct. 20: Homemade meatloaf with mashed potatoes. Serving at 5 p.m.

March 15: Irish corned beef and cabbage, serving at 5 p.m. Note: Cost is $10 for adults on this meal.

April 19: Chicken Divan, serving at 5 p.m.

June 14: Chicken salad supper, serving at 5 p.m.

F0IL0With the F0IL0exception of the corned beef supper, the cost for all other suppers is $8 for adults, $4 for children. Macaroni and cheese and/or hot dogs are also available for children. For reservations, call Colleen at 508-222-2887 or Dot, at 508-285-4267.

PLAINVILLE

Plainville United Methodist Church, 16 East Bacon St.

Oct. 13: Meatloaf supper.

Nov. 10: Stuffed chicken breast.

Dec. 8: Pasta and meatballs.

Jan. 12: Chicken pot pie.

Feb. 9: Lasagna.

March 9: Corned beef.

April 12: Turkey dinner.

May 10: Oven roasted chicken.

F0IL0All suppers F0IL0are served at 5:30 p.m. Cost is $8 for adults; $3.50 for children. For tickets, call 508-695-5141 or 508-699-8646. For further information, go to plainvilleumc.net.

SUSAN LaHOUD can be reached at 508-236-0398 or at slahoud@thesunchronicle.com.