The season of Lent begins Wednesday, which makes Tuesday “Fat Tuesday” or “Shrove Tuesday.” For more than 100 years, and possibly as many as 140, Christ Episcopal church has hosted a pancake dinner to mark the beginning of Lent.

“Henry Sampson was the director (at Christ Episcopal) . . . from 1865 until 1903,” the Rev. Sam Godfrey, the rector at Christ Episcopal, said. “Research . . . has found that Mrs. Sampson is who started this with the Episcopal Church Women, I want to say in the 1880s.”

This year’s Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper at Christ Episcopal Church will take place  from 5 until 7 p.m.

Godfrey explained the word “shrove” derives from the old English word “shriving.” Its meaning is similar to “striving.”

“It means basically confessing . . . unloading everything before the beginning of Lent,” Godfrey said.

Traditionally, Christians observing Lent choose to give up some type of indulgence, often sugar.

“One of the traditions that came up in the church was to get rid of meat and dairy products and things like that in your kitchen,” Godfrey said. “It’s basically the idea of cleaning out of your kitchen those things that you wouldn’t be consuming during Lent . . . like dairy and eggs and sugar, so what better way to get rid of (those ingredients) than to make pancakes?

“The original intent with Shrove (Tuesday) was confessing . . . as part of the preparation for leading into Lent. For a lot of Episcopal churches, that has become the tradition of pancake suppers on Tuesday and a lot of celebration around that. Then, you wake up Wednesday morning and you’re ready for Ash Wednesday.” 

Pat Engler, chairperson for the Pancake Supper, said it’s a church-wide effort.

“Basically, I just make sure we have everything we need and we have people signed up to work. Everybody in the church helps,” she said. “We order our sausage from a special place in Jackson. Everything else we buy or is donated. A lot of our supplies are donated by church members, because every penny that we take in, we use for outreach.”

Preparation for the supper begins long before the day of the supper, but cooking begins that morning.

“We fry the sausage and put them in warmers. That evening we will have people mixing batter in the chapel. The men actually cook the pancakes,” Engler said.

Three large grills in the kitchen will be used to cook the pancakes.

In addition to pancakes, sausage and drinks, Godfrey said there will be a baked goods and gumbo and soup sale.

Live entertainment will be provided by The Dirty Rice Burners Band.

“One of our members, Virginia Monsour, is a member of this group. They play kind of a bluegrass Cajun mix, and they will be playing Tuesday night,” Godfrey said. “They have played for us for several years.”

Betsy Harbaugh, who handles publicity for the event, said she foresees another successful supper. 

“I hope that many in our community come to the event as a tradition to enjoy not only by visiting with other Vicksburgers and supporting local outreaches and charities by buying tickets and items from our baked goods and soup table, but also to mark the beginning of the holy season of Lent, which begins the next day.”

All proceeds go toward local charities.

“We have a committee meeting . . . after the pancake supper . . . and decide from there,” Godfrey said. 

The church also distributes tickets to first responders.

“We always go to the sheriff’s department, the police department and the fire house downtown and I leave tickets there,” Godfrey said.

Tickets may be purchased at the door. The cost is $12 for adults and $5 for children. Takeout is available.

“Come and eat,” Godfrey said. “No one will go away hungry.”

Christ Episcopal Church is located at 1115 Main St.