There's nothing tastier than buffalo or catfish dipped in cornmeal, seasoned to taste and served hot out of the deep fryer.

Trinity Christian Methodist Episcopal Church's fish fry Oct. 14 turned out to be a very successful event, according to the pastor, the Rev. Patricia Havis. Close to 300 fish dinners were sold, with sides of spaghetti and cole slaw.

About 130 people showed up Oct. 20 to get chicken and noodle dinners at Decatur's Concordia Lutheran Church.

Many churches around Macon County seem to be busy this time of year, frying, stirring, peeling and baking all kinds of goodies to sell at fundraisers.

Congregations see it as an opportunity to do something for the community and, at the same time, raising money for church projects.

Money from the Trinity CME fish fry went to the general fund to help with church expenses, said its organizer, Pastell Fuller.

She said it was the first time the church had a food event for the public, although the youth group holds bake sales for members only.

"But we had only one cook, and she knew how to do drop in enough fish each time," Fuller said. "So by the time the rest of the food order was ready, the fish was ready and hot."

Fuller said the hardest part was hooking up propane tanks for the fryers; eventually, they had one of the men from the church come out to help them.

A man also made all the noodles for the chicken and noodle dinner at Concordia, said the event's organizer, Melba Stockdale.

It takes a certain chef's artistry to make the perfect homemade noodles from flour, salt and eggs.

The church usually has a German fest of bratwurst and cabbage but decided to do something different this year, Stockdale said.

"The food event is a fundraiser to raise money to replace windows in the parsonage that are old and rotting," she said.

Past food events raised money to repave the church's parking lot and build a wheelchair ramp for a young man with muscular dystrophy.

In some cases, church fundraisers have become more difficult as the members doing the work grow older. For example, Niantic United Methodist Church recently had to cancel the chicken fry that it had held for many decades.

However, the Clark County community of Martinsville can look forward to next Friday's Bazaar and Soup Meal at Willow Creek Cumberland Presbyterian Church.

Everyone in the church signs up to bring food, and the chili and vegetable soups are homemade, said Barbara Kannmacher, one of the organizers.

A person can get soup, a chicken or ham salad sandwich, a drink and pie for $6.

"It is a fundraiser for our church's outreach project called Helping Hearts and Hands," Kannmacher said.

She said last year's event raised $1,900, but the fundraising can be a little tough: "When the economy goes down, so do peoples' income."

Many townsfolk come to eat chili at lunchtime and come back for dinner and vegetable soup, Kannmacher said. Many also bring Mason jars to fill up with soup to take home.

Illiopolis United Methodist Church also is getting ready for its annual chicken and noodle dinner Nov. 11.

It's put on by the women's group at the church to raise money for mission projects, said Marjorie Stout, the committee chairman.

Stout said the church has been doing the chicken and noodle dinners since 1970 inside the present church building.

However, because of Sangamon County health regulations, the church members no longer make their noodles from flour and raw eggs, she said. Instead, they buy them.

"There's a lot of preparation that goes into cooking whole chickens and having to cut them up, so we decided to buy chicken breasts that are easier to cut," Stout added.

"Some of the younger men will come in early on Sunday morning to help cook, but it's still an entire church effort, that's for sure."

Sheila Smith can be reached at sheilas@herald-review.com or 421-7963.