ISHPEMING -- Food and its power to draw people from all walks of life together at one place.

It's a 26-year tradition and it was served up at noon Thursday at the Bethal Lutheran Church in Ishpeming.
    
Some 100 people were guests of the church for the annual Thanksgiving day dinner.
    
The meal is put on by the church's social ministry, which pays for everything.
    
At 5 that morning, Elaine Racine, who started this tradition in 1985, and church Pastor Laurie Maki, a 19 year veteran of the meal, started cooking.
    
They were joined by 15 volunteers throughout the morning.
    
There was turkey, mashed and sweet potatoes, gravy, corn, cole slaw and of course pumpkin pie.
    
And for some 50 people that couldn't  make it to the church, volunteers delivered the turkey dinner to them at home.
    
Racine says this kind of get together is not just about the food, it's more about fellowship and being with friends on Thanksgiving.