A simple pot of steaming gumbo prepared more than 65 years ago has turned into a hearty tradition for the St. James Episcopal Church Women, who kick off this year’s weekly Lenten gumbo lunches this Friday, March 3. The lunches will take place each Friday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. through April 7.

Dine-in lunches will include chicken and sausage or shrimp gumbo, sensation salad, bread, dessert and a drink. Drive-thru lunches are available as well as a la carte items including pints and quarts of gumbo, rice, coleslaw and more. There will also be a one-time delivery of crawfish étoufee available on Friday, April 7.

This Lenten tradition, started in 1951, funds the women’s group’s outreach programs, which support many local nonprofits as well as natural disaster relief and foreign mission work.

St. James Episcopal Church is located downtown on the corner of Florida and N. Fourth Street.