Weekly comments from Dale Martin

Dale Martin
City Manager
Fernandina Beach
December 21, 2018

From the time that we first visited Fernandina Beach as a candidate for the City Manager position, we have found this community to be incredibly welcoming. People are friendly and engaging, neighbors are helpful, and churches and charities are generous. We have enjoyed the many conversations and blessings that we have discovered in Fernandina Beach.

I assume that many of you enjoy hosting family and friends when they visit Fernandina Beach. It was wonderful to share the sunrises and sunsets, the local businesses, the incredible restaurants, and the natural beauty of our community. As is often said, we get to live here.

This Christmas, though, we don’t expect any family or friends due to other family and friends holiday commitments: plenty of family resides elsewhere and travel over the holidays can be stressful and expensive. That lack of visitors is a little disappointing because we enjoy the social engagement and camaraderie of the holidays: it is a time to share and enjoy goodness.

But just because we don’t have family visiting, why does that mean we can’t share the joy and excitement of the season with others?

I approached Rev. Dr. Wain Wesberry of the First Presbyterian Church about hosting a community Christmas potluck dinner. At first he was somewhat hesitant about pulling something like this together with less than two weeks before Christmas, but he shared the idea with other church leaders and found enthusiastic support for the idea. Let’s go for it, he said.

So we are. You are cordially invited to the Community Christmas Dinner at the First Presbyterian Church from 2:00 PM through 5:00 PM. Dinner will be available from 2:30 PM until 4:30 PM. The church is located at 9 N. 6th Street.

As with traditional potluck dinners, you are encouraged to bring a dish to pass- make it a family favorite side dish or dessert. I’m not sure how we’ll fare with the main course, but for now, I have coordinated at least one large turkey and one large ham. Please also consider bringing your own tableware and beverage.

As Rev. Wesberry first indicated, we’re throwing this together at the last minute, but why not make an effort to celebrate with others in our community? I have no idea how this will play out- it could be an epic failure with no one coming and leaving a few of us with plenty of leftovers or it could be problematic because so many attend that we struggle to provide sufficient food. Guess what- who cares? At the end of the evening, we’ll probably have met a few new friends, help clean up the church, thank those who attended, laugh with Rev. Wesberry, and start thinking how to do it again next year. We’ll then go to work the next day, no worse for the wear, probably slightly poorer, but immensely richer in spirit.

I believe that we need to celebrate more. Despite the divisions in Washington and the tensions in Tallahassee, our small local community is truly a beautiful place. We often forget that. That weekly walk on the beach becomes monthly or seasonal. The awe of a glorious sunrise becomes more and more rare. The time with friends succumbs to the grind of work and routine. Why? Everyone knows that those moments can be lost and that last moment is not recognized as the “last” until it is too late.

Let’s celebrate together on Christmas Day, sharing the joy and the blessings of friendship and community.

Community Christmas Dinner- First Presbyterian Church, 9 N. 6th Street; December 25, 2:00 PM- 5:00 PM. Bring a dish to share and your tableware.

Thank you, Fernandina Beach, and have a merry Christmas.