A roast dinner served to around 50 people in July was the icing on the cake following a term of weekly cooking sessions for young people at Bacchus Marsh Baptist Church.

Youth leader Dannii Cooper taught four simple dishes per week in a MasterChef-style competition that wove together practical life skills with faith lessons.

Dannii said it was incredible to see the growth in the young people as they tackled difficulties ranging from anxiety to food aversions as they participated in the events.

“To see them pull off a dinner for 50 people was amazing. Many of these teenagers find it hard to get to school every day for various reasons, but at the dinner they cooked everything, MC’d the night, served the meal and played games with the adults who came along.”

Church elders and community members were invited to the meal. Thirteen young people cooked onsite, while one person prepared some food at home and delivered it for the event. The local FoodWorks provided groceries at cost price, and each participant received a prize bought at an op shop.

The focus of the weekly lessons was feeding a family on a budget. “This was about teaching skills for survival – now they can come up with meals in a difficult situation, such as during uni exam periods or if a family member is unwell; if they only have four ingredients and they need to do it quickly, or for a large number of people. We got them thinking about using whatever is in the cupboards, and what else they might put with it.”

Alongside each lesson, Dannii used food concepts to teach bible verses and faith lessons, such as explaining the trinity using an egg’s shell, white and yolk. “We had just finished learning about the armour of God and making a soldier out of cardboard so we said, ‘You have to feed your soldier!’ We talked about how to get spiritual food and the need to nourish ourselves spiritually, just like you feed the body physically. One of the main things we taught about was Christian unity, where we experience the fullness of God when we care for each other and spend time together. After that, a core group started doing life together – going to each other’s basketball games and turning up for each other when times were tough. When my shoulder and foot were injured, they all showed up one day to help me with the grandkids. So I think they got the message that the body of Christ is more than just words on paper or people sitting in seats in church, it’s being with each other in the good times and the bad. From those experiences, I think some of the relationships that have been built will be lifelong. Our youth group has become a place where the kids ask, ‘Who’s got something on this week they need support with?’”

The church’s community veggie patch was a handy resource, and it also enabled the young people to get to know an 80-year-old gardener who recommended herbs to go with each dish and taught them how to barbecue.

“He became an honorary part of our group – the young people made sure he had a serving of food for every meal we made. They would often jump in the car and run food down to his house.”