Mary Cline

Kitchen Manager

Whether it is a Wednesday night family dinner, Friday night Hot Meals, or a Sunday morning brunch, anyone browsing the halls and kitchen of Gay Street UMC will be greeted with the tempting aroma of a loving, home-cooked meal. From the moment Mary Cline presented samples at her interview with Staff Parish Relations in September 2007, people became aware that her talents would provide on so many levels.

Originally an Ohio girl, thirteen-yearold Mary moved from the sizable city of Delaware to the small town of Clinchco, Virginia, where she attended what was basically a oneroom style school. Mary’s love of variety and keeping busy started to bud in high school where you could find Mary in band, choir, cheerleading, attending FHA meetings, on the prom court, as well as studying her favorite subjects of history and government. Mary grew up in the restaurant business, starting with her own parents’ restaurant. Later, she got a job at Shoney’s where she worked in nearly every position they had and learned the ins and outs of it all.

These days, when Mary is not cooking at the church, she can be found at MiddleGround in Gambier. But while it is obvious that Mary has had a lot of experience and runs a well-managed kitchen, it is perhaps not the most important thing she brings to the table, so to speak. Yes, her food is delicious and nutritious. Yes, she knows how to bargain shop and has many wonderful local resources. Yes, she has gained the respect of a helpful, faithful kitchen crew. But mostly, she makes food in order to feed people’s souls.

Wednesday night dinners are a time when members of all ages can break bread and fellowship together. The same goes for Friday night Hot Meals. It is important to Mary that the people that come to Hot Meals know that it is more than just eating food for nutritional purposes; she wants them to know that others truly care for them. There are times when the food is laid out and everyone can come dig in. Other times they experience a more formal, family-style meal. Mary has organized some fun Friday night give-aways and hopes to provide a Christmas in July meal.

"God will provide" are words that Mary tries to remind herself daily. She stands firm in her beliefs and knows that she "couldn’t get through life without her faith."

Mary is not afraid of working hard. "The more I do and help, the better I feel." She is also appreciative of all the hard work from the volunteers that help her in the kitchen. They are dependable and always ready for whatever she throws at them. They, in turn, appreciate what Mary is doing. Joann Gibbs, for one, is grateful for the friendship that has formed and remarked on how she enjoys the easy banter between the two as they work together. And what does Mary like to do in her spare time? Aside from relaxing with a movie or two, Mary finds herself in the kitchen yet again.

She enjoys cooking for friends and family. "Baking biscuits and having them turn out all flaky and ready for butter and jam and watching my daughter (or whomever) enjoying them makes it all worth while."