Around New England

Church Putting on 139th Washington’s Birthday Dinner

February 19, 2019

First Congregational Church in Methuen has been putting on a dinner in honor of George Washington’s birthday since 1881.

This year’s, the 139th, is scheduled for Saturday, February 23, one day after the 287th anniversary of Washington’s birth, which took place February 22, 1732.

(That was a Tuesday in the Catholic countries. But like other Protestant countries, in 1732 America was still using the old Julian calendar. So George’s parents thought he was born on a Friday, as February 11 was that year — which is the Old Style version of today’s February 22 (according to the current calendar, called Gregorian).)

Offerings at Saturday’s dinner, according to The Eagle Tribune, include roasted turkey breast with cranberry sauce and gravy; baked ham with two sauces, raisin and horseradish mustard; baked haddock with seasoned crumbs; Ritz crackers; green salad; antipasto; green beans; butternut squash; macaroni and cheese; mashed potatoes; stuffing; gravy; rolls and butter; and apple crisp will be available.

Methuen is a city of about 47,000 people in northeastern Massachusetts on the New Hampshire border, just north of Lawrence.