By Claudia Loucks
Geneseo Current

The Fall Review at the Cambridge Methodist Church originated 33 years ago and continues to be the major fundraiser for the church.

This year’s Review is from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 7, at the Cambridge Church, 120 West Exchange St., and in the Community Hall, adjacent to the church.

For more information, call the church at 309-937-2018.

The event will feature a country breakfast, served from 7 to 9 a.m. in the church. Lunch is served from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and carryout orders are available at 11:30 a.m. The lunch menu includes “Red Delicious” ham loaf, cheesy potatoes, almond green beans and dinner rolls. The ala carte luncheon menu will feature all plate lunch items in addition to chicken salad served on rye bread or croissant, potato soup, pumpkin pie, white chocolate raspberry cheesecake or turtle cake.

This year more than 30 crafters have registered to take part in the Review, including people from the Quad Cities and surrounding areas and from as far away as Ft. Myers, FL.

Committee members require original work only, no commercially produced items.

The Review also features frozen foods, bakery and gourmet shops.

Visitors to the gourmet shops will find an assortment of jams and jellies, fudge, relishes, pickles, mustards and mixes. New items are pickled green beans and jalapeno strawberry jelly.

Homemade cinnamon rolls, fruit-filled pies, cookies, and specialty breads including the popular Swedish Rye will be available in the bakery shop.

In the “Frozen Food Shop,” visitors will find the popular “Red Delicious” ham loaves, cheese tortellini soup, apple dumplings, lasagna for two, Swedish meatballs, and fruit pies.

Linda Denison, a member of the Review committee, said, “Members grow, pick and prepare items They hand craft jar toppers, test recipes, decorate the buildings and meet en masse to make frozen food products.”

The history of the Fall Review can be traced back to 1989 when the church held its first Review in the form of an all-church sponsored consignment craft show. The event was such a success that it became a tradition and grew into the church’s top money-making event. Las year’s Review raised about $20,000.

Denison said the purpose of the Fall Review “is to raise much needed money for mission and ministry priorities of our church. All profits from this year will be used for ministries within our church and community.”

“Our church mission statement is ‘Loving God, Loving Others, Serving Both.’ Whatever we profit from the Review, we use to support our church programs, as well as the grade school program ‘Caring Hearts’ that helps families in need, our local food pantry and to Back Pack Blessings program for Cambridge students who receive weekend food packages.”

“The Review not only is our major fundraiser, it has become a rewarding labor of love in serving others,” Denison said. “Many church members work all year to prepare for it. It’s a labor of love for the entire congregation.”