The Underground Railroad Society of Cass County is hosting the Underground Railroad Days this weekend and with it comes some soulful food.

The Vandalia Church of God will hold the first Soul Food Dinner at the village hall in Vandalia to raise money for the church’s building fund. On the menu are fried chicken, barbeque rib tips, pinto and great northern beans, greens, sweet potatoes and corn bread.

Cost for the dinner is $10 and tickets can be bought in advance or at the event. It is offered Saturday from noon to 6 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m.

Soul Food Dinner organizer Denise Bufkin said, “It has been really exciting to see the community gathering to help with the building fund. Calvin Community Church is helping to prepare meals, First Baptist is helping out, members from Chain Lake Missionary Baptist Church are helping to pass out tickets and parents of members are helping out in abundance. For the other churches to come in as one body in Christ has been really exciting.”

Bufkin said the money raised for the building fund will be used for general work on the building and grounds, painting and replacement doors.

“We are trying to beautify the neighborhood a little,” Bufkin said. “We will also use the money to buy food for the food pantry we would like to start.”

The church will resume holding free meals for the community on the third Saturday of every month beginning in October and may use additional funds raised from the dinner to buy food for the meals.

Vandalia Church of God is also hosting the community church service on Sunday at 11 a.m. in Milo Barnes Park in Vandalia. Pastor Rayvon Bufkin of Vandalia Church of God and Pastor Michael Anderson of First Baptist Church in Vandalia will bring the message. Money raised from the service will go to the Underground Railroad project.