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Merci Beaucoup!What a wonderful way to kick off the Lenten Season with a Mardi Gas Luncheon complete with a live jazz band, homemade gumbo (thank you Susan Smith and Bev Blew), Popeye's Cajun Chicken (thank you Rhonda Jarvie), an amazing display of breads (thank you Jessica Daniel), awesome rice (thank you Carey & Grace Johnson) and the most amazing homemade King's Cakes by our very own Charlotte & Kristi Kolb! Thank you our artist in resident, Janet Flournoy, for leading the mask-making. And what a perfect way for our new Director of Congregational Life, Tyler Christiana, to share his NOLA roots with all of us!
Most of all thank you to our community for sharing your Sunday morning with NSUMC and celebrating pre-Lenten merriment! |
2023 Mardi Gras Celebration
Lenten Reflection, Luncheon & LIVE Jazz Music
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North Scottsdale United Methodist Church invites the community to come prepare for the Lenten season at their Mardi Gras Jazz Luncheon and Lenten Reflection on Sunday, February 19th, 11:00 am – 12 30 pm located at the church, 11735 North Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale, AZ, 85254. This event is free to the public.
As attendees enter the Mardi Gras Jazz Luncheon & Lenten Reflection, they will be welcomed by "The Roadrunner Sax Quartet" jazz ensemble. The attendees will begin the Lenten Reflection by literally donning a mask. This mask will represent the figurative mask that people wear. Lead pastor, the Rev. Christopher Wurpts, will offer up a Lenten Reflection that will suggest that everyone take off their masks. These are the figurative masks of self-deception, self-control, as well as the literal masks people are wearing. The reflective prayer will ask people to lay down the things that keep them from connecting to God. After the opening reflection the attendees will enjoy live jazz music and partake in a traditional New Orleans’s meal of homemade gumbo and Popeye’s chicken. The meal will end with King’s cake, New Orleans style. Lent is the period of 40 days which precedes Easter in the Christian calendar. Beginning on Ash Wednesday, Lent is a season of reflection and preparation before the celebrations of Easter. By observing the 40 days of Lent Christians replicate Jesus Christ's sacrifice and withdrawal into the desert for 40 days. 
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Mardi Gras Lenten Luncheon 2020 in review...
Gumbo Preparation- Thank you Michael Caplan,
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Lent 101
What does Mardi Gras have to do with Jesus? Why ashes? How do I "do" Lent? How can it help me grow closer to God? The Upper Room unpacks answers to these questions and more in Lent 101, a resource crafted to help congregations experience a meaningful season.
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Mardi Gras Jazz Luncheon and Lenten Reflection 2019
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Mardi Gras Jazz Luncheon and Lenten Reflection 2017
What an awesome way to prepare for the season of Lent. We had great cajun food including homemade gumbo, King's cake direct from New Orleans, an award winning jazz band from Desert Mountain High School, wonderful merriment and fellowship with nearly 200 guests!
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Gumbo Recipe
Thank you to Michael Caplan for making 32 quarts of gumbo for NSUMC!
Many people asked for the recipe. It was adapted it from John Folse, a Louisiana chef (http://www.jfolse.com/recipes/soups/chicken17.htm). He made 6-times this recipe in two 20-quart (5 gallon) stock pots. Ingredients: 1 (5-pound) stewing hen - smoked 1 pound smoked andouille sausage 1 cup oil 1½ cups flour 2 cups thinly sliced and then finely chopped onions 2 cups finely chopped celery 1 cup finely chopped bell peppers ¼ cup minced garlic ½ cup chopped parsley ½ cup finely chopped green onions 3 quarts chicken stock 1 bay leaf sprig of thyme 1 tbsp finely chopped basil salt, cracked black pepper, and/or cayenne pepper to taste Louisiana hot sauce to taste steamed white rice Method: Smoke the chicken (whole or halved) and the andouille for 2-2.25 hours in a smoker (I use a Weber Smokey Joe). When cooled, remove the chicken meat from the bone. You can freeze it if you want to do this ahead of time. I get my andouille from Sprouts Market (they will make it for you if you call ahead and ask for at least 5 lbs). Thinly slice the onions (not the green onion yet), and finely chop. Add enough oil to coat the bottom of your pot (~2 gallon stock pot for this recipe), add the onions, and caramelize. Meanwhile, in a separate pan, heat the 1 cup oil over medium-high heat. Whisk in the 1+1/2 cup flour, stirring constantly until golden brown roux is achieved (I make mine almost the color of milk chocolate). Once the onions are caramelized, stir in celery, bell peppers and garlic. Sauté 3-5 minutes or until vegetables are wilted, then add in the parsley and green onions. Continue to sauté until vegetables are very wilted - almost a paste. Add the roux to the vegetables, stir and continue to saute for 3-5 minutes. Add chicken stock, one ladle or about 1/2 cup at a time, stirring to blend in each 1/2 cup before adding in the next. Bring to a rolling boil, reduce to simmer. Simmer for approximately 45 minutes. About every 15 minutes, skim any fat or oil that rises to surface. Cut the sausage and chicken into bite-sized pieces. Stir in the chicken, sausage, bay leaf, thyme and basil. Season with salt, pepper and hot sauce (the other ingredients have plenty of salt and the andouille has pepper in it, so this may not be necessary unless you like your gumbo spicy). Cook an additional 15-30 minutes. Serve over steamed white rice. |
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