St. Pauls UMC, Cherokee, to sponsor 2nd annual pancake race
2/3/2010
Legend claims that 565 years ago, a homemaker in Olney, England, heard the church bells signaling the start of a Shrove Tuesday service. She had been hurriedly cleansing her pantry of all fattening foods in preparation for Lent, using up the remainder of milk, flour, eggs, and butter to make a batch of pancakes. Upon hearing the bells, she scurried out of the house, still wearing her apron and carrying her cast-iron skillet. In it was a pancake, which she repeatedly flipped as she ran to the church, in order to keep the pancake from burning. Poet William Fennor remembered the moment in his 1634 work Palinodia:
“And tosse their Pancakes up for feare they burne.”
Thus, in the town of Olney, the pancake race began, as an unusual way of starting the Lenten season. Every Shrove Tuesday, women dressed in the traditional costumes of aprons and head coverings run a 415-yard course, carrying their cast-iron skillets, and giving their pancakes one final flip as they cross the finish line. Since the race’s birth, communities around the world have staged similar events, matching their times with their international counterparts, in a show of civic pride. (In case you are wondering, Jane Hughes from Liberal, Kansas, had the best time in 2009, running the course in 62 seconds.)
And last year, your Cherokee, Iowa, community joined the ranks of the head-kerchiefed pancake flippers. We had 80 women compete, and a standing-room only crowd in our sanctuary for the Shrove Tuesday worship service that followed. Local and regional media coverage, including KCHE radio, the Cherokee Chronicle, and KTIV television news ran stories about the event, and we raised $2,200 in donations for our two local food pantries. Last year’s event was so successful that there was little doubt that we would run it again.
Click here for detailed information and to register online.
The Second Annual Great Cherokee Pancake Day Race promises to be bigger and better than ever, on Tuesday, February 16, at 5:30pm. The course begins at City Hall, then follows the same route as last year, concluding with the challenging incline of Piety Hill leading to the front doors of St. Paul’s. The initial buzz over the event has prompted the need to limit racers to the first 100 skillets (we can have more than 100 racers, if some teams choose to pass their skillet in relay fashion). We are already receiving registrations, at a cost of $10 per contestant, which will help defray costs associated with the event.
After the race, we will have a brief worship service, award prizes, and prepare for Lent. Then, we’ll head down to the Fellowship Hall for a pancake supper, the donations from which will support the food pantries at both the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church and Mid-Sioux Opportunities, Inc. The idea that other people’s food pantries will be replenished on a day usually set aside for cleaning out your own is deliciously ironic.
And did I mention that the winner of the Pancake Race gets a kiss from the Supervising Vicar?
Oh, and did I mention that, as the pastor of St. Paul’s, I am the Supervising Vicar?
Finally, did I say that I have encouraged my wife Jessica to try to win the race, at all costs?
At any rate, this is an event you surely will not want to miss. Register as a contestant, or offer to help out with any of a number of volunteer opportunities on that day. Please see John Cook, Jenny Burroughs, or any member of the Adult Class.
Women, start your pancakes!
Rev. Magrey R. deVega
St. Paul's United Methodist Church
531 W. Main St.
Cherokee, IA 51012
Ph: 712-225-3955
http://www.cherokeespumc.org
“And tosse their Pancakes up for feare they burne.”
Thus, in the town of Olney, the pancake race began, as an unusual way of starting the Lenten season. Every Shrove Tuesday, women dressed in the traditional costumes of aprons and head coverings run a 415-yard course, carrying their cast-iron skillets, and giving their pancakes one final flip as they cross the finish line. Since the race’s birth, communities around the world have staged similar events, matching their times with their international counterparts, in a show of civic pride. (In case you are wondering, Jane Hughes from Liberal, Kansas, had the best time in 2009, running the course in 62 seconds.)
And last year, your Cherokee, Iowa, community joined the ranks of the head-kerchiefed pancake flippers. We had 80 women compete, and a standing-room only crowd in our sanctuary for the Shrove Tuesday worship service that followed. Local and regional media coverage, including KCHE radio, the Cherokee Chronicle, and KTIV television news ran stories about the event, and we raised $2,200 in donations for our two local food pantries. Last year’s event was so successful that there was little doubt that we would run it again.
Click here for detailed information and to register online.
The Second Annual Great Cherokee Pancake Day Race promises to be bigger and better than ever, on Tuesday, February 16, at 5:30pm. The course begins at City Hall, then follows the same route as last year, concluding with the challenging incline of Piety Hill leading to the front doors of St. Paul’s. The initial buzz over the event has prompted the need to limit racers to the first 100 skillets (we can have more than 100 racers, if some teams choose to pass their skillet in relay fashion). We are already receiving registrations, at a cost of $10 per contestant, which will help defray costs associated with the event.
After the race, we will have a brief worship service, award prizes, and prepare for Lent. Then, we’ll head down to the Fellowship Hall for a pancake supper, the donations from which will support the food pantries at both the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church and Mid-Sioux Opportunities, Inc. The idea that other people’s food pantries will be replenished on a day usually set aside for cleaning out your own is deliciously ironic.
And did I mention that the winner of the Pancake Race gets a kiss from the Supervising Vicar?
Oh, and did I mention that, as the pastor of St. Paul’s, I am the Supervising Vicar?
Finally, did I say that I have encouraged my wife Jessica to try to win the race, at all costs?
At any rate, this is an event you surely will not want to miss. Register as a contestant, or offer to help out with any of a number of volunteer opportunities on that day. Please see John Cook, Jenny Burroughs, or any member of the Adult Class.
Women, start your pancakes!
Rev. Magrey R. deVega
St. Paul's United Methodist Church
531 W. Main St.
Cherokee, IA 51012
Ph: 712-225-3955
http://www.cherokeespumc.org