NEOSHO, Mo. — Across Neosho, countless sugar cravings are satisfied, and freezers are stacked ready for spur-of-the-moment baking.
In the City of Springs, a tradition as anticipated and time-honored as the holidays themselves has just wrapped up with the annual making and selling of pies by Neosho’s First Christian Church.
Finishing out their pie-making season this year with a total of 200 cherry and 1,047 apple pies, the pie creators exhibit as much enjoyment assembling as do those consuming.
“The pies must be especially delicious because of the joy of making them,” said Beth Masters, longtime pie maker. “Of course, the ‘spice girls’ who mix the ingredients put in a special amount of goodness.”
To make just the apple pies, the ingredient lists reads like a supply list for a small army. Included are 60 bushels of apples, 110 five-pound bags of flour, 55 five-pound bags of sugar, 100 three-pound cans of Butter Crisco, four pounds of salt, eight large bottles of cinnamon and 15 pounds of butter.
The original project began about 1980 with the first year’s production of pies topping out at 75. Several church members had been putting on a bazaar for many years to raise funds for missions, and they felt the need for a new approach when the pie idea was born.
“The enthusiasm from the pie buyers is exhibited as we have so many repeat customers,” Masters said. “It is such a joy each year to see, not only the familiar faces from our congregation, persons from other churches with whom we do not have a chance to visit throughout the year,” she said.
Each year the first $4,000 in pie profits have been given to the denominational unified missions that include homes for children, homes for older adults and reconciliation programs. Funds have also helped local mission group travel expenses and youth group mission efforts.
“The pie making was begun long before I got here, and the folks who organize that effort do try to include more and different people each year, inviting them to use their gifts and to share this particular ministry,” said the Rev. Al Gritten, minister of First Christian Church. “And we even have folks who belong to other churches that come and work on making pies.”
Preparation each year begins in August, with cherry pie production starting the first of September. Apple pie making is determined by the orchard’s schedule. Each year the church picks 60 to 65 bushels. Haas Warehouse provides storage until the last apple is used.
Organizers sell the pies on a first-come, first-served basis, with the last pie bought just a few days ago. Next year’s effort may see an increase in the number of cherry pies, but the apple pies being more labor intensive will probably stay in range of 60 bushels or 1,000 pies.
“This would not continue through the years and continue to grow in magnitude if there was not another ingredient,” Masters said. “We have such a good time. We laugh, we tease, we share our time together. The fellowship and Christian love working together is the secret.”
