Update Monday 11/24
Our upcoming Sangha Friendsgiving is shaping up to be a really warm and joyful gathering. The two-step process (Eventbrite + SignUp.com) can feel a little awkward, but we’ve streamlined it, added a clear FAQ, and made the dish categories more flexible so it’s easier to choose something that fits your time, comfort level, and cooking style.
If you’re planning to join, please take a moment to sign up with your number of guests and the dish(es) you plan to bring. The overall balance of the meal greatly depends on everyone’s contributions, and earlier sign-ups help us plan wisely. If you’re considering coming but you have questions, you’re warmly invited to email assistant@columbusktc.org.
Signing up sooner rather than later greatly helps the event team. With enough notice, we can identify any gaps in the menu and add a dish or two to round things out – while still relying on the generosity of the sangha to make this a well-balanced, abundant meal.
IMPORTANT DATES
Preferred signup date: Tuesday, November 25, by 9 PM – this date helps the event team by providing time to adjust for any large menu gaps
REGISTRATION DEADLINE: Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 27, by 9 PM – we are unable to accept signups after this time (Friday is our preparation day, and the event is on Saturday)
Our Tempting Partial Menu So Far! (with a big thank you to our early contributors)
Vegetable Sides & Savories
- Green Bean Casserole – Bethany D
- Vegetarian Stuffing – Quinn B
- Sweet Potatoes – Jane M
- Roasted Brussels Sprouts – Angel A
- Non-Starchy Vegetable Dish – Tekla L
- Green Salad – Sally C
- Signature Side – Samosas – Bryan R
- Vegetarian Gravy – Kelly A
- Rolls from Local Bakery – Kim R
- Homemade Cornbread – Angel A
Sauces & Condiments
- Spiced Cranberry Orange Sauce – Kelly A
Desserts
- Pumpkin Praline Bread Pudding & Ice Cream – Kate H
- Pumpkin Pies – Jane M
- Additional Dessert – Suzanne P
- Additional Dessert – Robert F
Please note that this menu is incomplete. There are still many potluck dishes needed – both to make the meal complete, and to have sufficient food for our group!
Please see the detailed list of dishes needed at signup.com. We look forward to sharing everyone’s culinary creations, and beloved favorites from local stores! Thank you for contributing from your heart, and helping to make this meal and gathering something special for our sangha!
KTC’s SANGHA “FRIENDSGIVING” POTLUCK
Celebrate the season of gratitude and community with your sangha! This gathering is open to all members, friends, and families – bring your partner, kids, and/or a friend or two. Bring a dish and share in a joyful, mindful, and nourishing meal and community gathering.
Doors open at 3:30 PM. Please plan to arrive by 4:00 PM to join Lama Kathy in the shrine room for prayers for all living beings, especially for all the animals whose lives are lost for this occasion. Doors will be locked at 4:15 PM so all can fully participate. During final meal setup at 4:30 PM, you’re invited to take a moment to write a short note of gratitude – these will be collected and your note may be read during the meal, to help us share and celebrate our gratitude together. The potluck meal begins at 5:00 PM in the community room.
This is a communal meal of shared responsibility, organized as a coordinated potluck to ensure that all vegetarian Thanksgiving favorites are represented in balanced proportions. When you register, you’ll select a dish item – such as vegetarian protein main, classic side, salad, or dessert – so that together we’ll create a complete and harmonious holiday meal. Dish examples include:
- Mains: Tofu roast, lentil loaf, veggie burgers, Tofurky
- Sides: Stuffing, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, green bean casserole, roasted vegetables
- Salads & Condiments: Fresh greens, crudités, cranberry relish
- Breads & Desserts: Rolls, pumpkin pie, apple pie, cookies
We ask for your patience and cooperation with this coordinated approach. Based on our organizers’ years of experience planning complex potlucks, we’ve found this system ensures variety, balanced coverage of classics, and a joyful, more relaxed, and abundant Friendsgiving meal for all.
We warmly request that each participant bring a dish if at all possible. Each contribution adds to the abundance, strengthens our sense of community, and supports the shared responsibility that makes our feast successful. This keeps the meal a true potluck rather than placing extra work on a few. Our event team has planned with great care so the meal can be enjoyed by all, and we are grateful for your generosity in helping make this gathering memorable.
If you’re not confident in your cooking or prefer not to cook, many restaurants and stores offer vegetarian, alcohol-free entrées and sides. However, if contributing a dish is genuinely not possible, a $10 per-person donation may be made to help cover KTC’s non-food costs. This accommodation is intended for rare, exceptional circumstances – for example, we have someone driving across multiple states on the morning of the event. If you’re in a similar situation, please contact assistant@columbusktc.org to make arrangements.
As always, KTC is entirely vegetarian and alcohol-free. All contributions must exclude meat, poultry, fish, shellfish, and alcohol. When possible, vegan or gluten-free dishes are appreciated. Please make a label for your dish indicating these, and the presence or absence of common allergens (dairy, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, wheat, soy, sesame).
For each adult in your group, you contribute one dish. About 30 people will share the meal (possibly more), so please provide a generous portion (e.g., a full, 9×13 pan). Ensure that your dish is fully prepared with serving utensils. Dishes served cold or room-temperature should arrive ready to serve.
For dishes that must be served warm, we strongly request that you bring them already warm & in one or more crockpots or slow cookers (with cord). Extensive reheating could delay the meal by hours. If you don’t have a crockpot, bring dishes already warm & in oven-proof containers, and attach simple oven reheating instructions (at 350-375) to guide event volunteers. Many dishes need to be reheated and we have one oven, so the kitchen will be reserved for event volunteers – this is one case where fewer hands are better!
KTC will remain open only through dinner and dessert, so cleanup on-site will not be possible. Please plan to wash your serving dishes at home. Bring to-go containers if you wish to share or keep leftovers.
For more potluck details, see signup.com. After reviewing the full guidelines, if you still have questions please contact us. Thank you for taking all these guidelines into account – your care and attention make the meal enjoyable for everyone.
Your registration is not complete until:
- You have signed up through Eventbrite, AND
- You have signed up to bring a specific dish through signup.com.
Come ready to share good food, laughter, and conversation in a casual, festive, and mindful setting. Enjoy the warmth of community, the joy of giving, and the pleasure of savoring a meal together – all in the spirit of Thanksgiving and sangha.
IF YOU DO NOT HAVE financial means, or have difficulty registering online, please write to assistant@columbusktc.org and we will register you at no cost.
CAN’T ATTEND, but want to help KTC’s Operations Fund? Hop over to our KTC donations page at this link: https://columbusktc.kindful.com