The Seaside United Methodist Youth Fellowship sponsored Seaside’s annual “Shrove Tuesday” celebration with a pancake supper. Approximately 150 people came out on a cold, late winter evening to share freshly made pancakes, bacon, sausage and a time of wonderful fellowship. Shrove Tuesday is also known as “Fat” Tuesday (Mardi Gras, in French) and is always celebrated on the last day before the season of Lent. Since Lent is traditionally a season of preparation for Easter and was originally a time when new converts would be prepared for baptism or confirmation. Thus, Lent is also a time for fasting and reflection upon our lives as sinful creatures who are being redeemed by a gracious God. Consequently, the Tuesday meal was a time to consume all the left-over “fat” in the house–hence the traditional menu of pancakes, bacon, sausage, butter, etc.