Wednesday Night Supper Coordinator

The Wednesday Night Supper Coordinator oversees one of the most cherished

fellowship rhythms of congregational life at Fairhope United Methodist Church: the

shared meal that gathers families, children, and members of every age around the table

before Wednesday evening programming. This role owns the full lifecycle of each

week’s supper — from planning the menu and ordering food within budget, to preparing

and cooking the meal alongside a team of volunteers, to serving it warmly and ensuring

the kitchen is left clean and ready for the next gathering.

The program runs for twenty-five Wednesday evenings from September through April,

with breaks observed around the holidays. This is a hands-on, hospitality-driven role

that blends practical kitchen skill, careful stewardship of a weekly budget, and the

coordination of a faithful team of volunteers. The ideal candidate is someone who finds

joy in feeding people, takes pride in a well-run kitchen, and understands that a good

meal is one of the most tangible ways a church says, “You belong here.”

Competencies

Spiritual Commitment: Demonstrates active Christian faith and a genuine love

for the local church. Understands the shared meal not merely as a logistical task

but as an expression of Christian hospitality and fellowship.

Kitchen & Food Service Skill: Cooks confidently for a crowd, managing prep,

timing, and presentation so that a warm, appealing meal is ready to serve on

schedule each week.

Food Safety & Sanitation: Handles, stores, and prepares food in accordance

with safe food-handling and sanitation practices, keeping the kitchen clean and

compliant throughout.

Budget Stewardship: Plans menus and places orders that consistently keep

weekly food costs within the church’s established budget, treating the

congregation’s resources with care.

Vendor & Ordering Management: Works efficiently with food-service vendors,

placing accurate and timely orders and reconciling receipts.

Volunteer Coordination: Recruits, schedules, confirms, and encourages a team

of kitchen and serving volunteers, building a culture of reliability and shared

purpose.

Organization & Planning: Manages a dependable weekly rhythm — menu,

order, prep, serve, clean — across an entire season without losing track of

details or deadlines.

Hospitality & Presence: Creates an atmosphere of warmth and welcome in the

dining space, greeting guests graciously and making the meal feel like a

gathering rather than a transaction.

Duties & Responsibilities

Menu Planning & Budgeting (15%)

• Set the following week’s menu by the Monday or Tuesday prior, planning meals

that are appealing to a broad, intergenerational congregation.

• Build each menu to keep total food cost at or below the weekly budget target of

$860.

• Account for the seasonal calendar, planning around the twenty-five Wednesdays

the program meets and the holiday breaks when it does not.

Food Ordering & Vendor Coordination (10%)

• Once the menu is set, place food orders with the church’s preferred vendors.
• Place the week’s food order on Monday morning (approximately one hour),

ensuring quantities match the planned menu and expected attendance.

• Receive and properly store all deliveries on Tuesday afternoon (approximately

one hour), organizing refrigerated, frozen, and dry goods appropriately.

• Collect, organize, and turn in all receipts to the church office for accurate budget

tracking.

Volunteer Coordination (15%)

• Recruit and schedule a dependable team of volunteers to assist with Wednesday

prep, cooking, serving, and cleanup.

• Confirm the week’s volunteers each Monday, securing substitutes as needed to

ensure full coverage.

• Provide volunteers with clear expectations and timing, and recognize their

contributions regularly to sustain a healthy, encouraged team.

Meal Preparation & Service (40%)

• Lead kitchen prep, cooking, and service on Wednesdays from approximately

11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

• Oversee the serving line and dining area, ensuring food is presented attractively,

replenished as needed, and served warmly to every guest.

• Adjust portions and pacing in response to actual attendance so that guests are

well fed and waste is minimized.

Kitchen Stewardship, Food Safety & Cleanup (15%)

• Maintain a clean, organized, and sanitary kitchen before, during, and after each

meal, in keeping with safe food-handling standards.

• Lead and oversee cleanup following the meal, ensuring dishes, surfaces,

equipment, and serving areas are returned to a ready state.

• Works with Missions Director to monitor kitchen and pantry inventory, noting

supply needs and properly storing or handling leftovers. Report any equipment issues, maintenance needs, or safety concerns to the

church office promptly.

Administrative & Seasonal Coordination (5%)

• Communicate the weekly menu to the church office in time for inclusion in

announcements and church communications.

• Coordinate with church staff on attendance expectations, special events, and any

schedule changes affecting the supper.

• Help plan the season’s overall calendar each year, confirming start and end

dates and observing holiday breaks.

Required Qualifications

• Active Christian faith and a demonstrated heart for hospitality, fellowship, and the

care of a congregation through the ministry of a shared meal.

• Proven experience cooking and serving meals for large groups, whether in a

church, restaurant, catering, school, or comparable setting.

• Knowledge of safe food-handling and sanitation practices; ServSafe certification

(or willingness to obtain it) strongly preferred.

• Demonstrated ability to plan menus and manage food purchasing within an

established budget.

• Comfort placing and reconciling orders with food-service vendors.
• Experience scheduling and leading volunteers in a kitchen or service

environment.

• Strong organizational skills and the reliability to maintain a fixed weekly rhythm

across the full program season.

• Physical ability to stand for extended periods, lift and carry supplies, and work

efficiently in an active kitchen environment.

• Availability to work every Wednesday during the program season (September

through April), with related Monday and Tuesday tasks.

• Warm, dependable, and team-oriented disposition, with a genuine enjoyment of

serving others.

Pay: $5,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Professional development assistance

Application Question(s):

• Describe your experience cooking for large groups of poeple.

Experience:

• Cooking: 2 years (Preferred)

Work Location: In person

Salary : $5,000