Dear Friends,
With the success of our Disciple’s Women’s Bazaar, I am reminded of how important these events are in the life of Church fellowship. Over the years, being able to participate in fundraising/fellowship events, I have observed that the Church is almost always drawn closer together because of the time and effort shared with one another.
At the first church Dani and I served in Crowley, Louisiana, it was a barbeque chicken lunch. We barbecued 3000 half chickens along with forty gallons of baked beans, the equivalent of potato salad and had the Sheriff’s department come and make enough Cajun dirty rice.
The church I served in Durham, North Carolina made homemade Easter Eggs in two-ounce, quarter pound, half pound, and pound eggs. There were two flavors – peanut butter and vanilla cream. Every egg was hand dipped three times, then trimmed, decorated, and boxed.
In East Texas, the Longview Church made and delivered Italian dinners to folks in the area.
Our Church in Iowa participated in the tri-state Farm Progress Show staffing one of several food tents for this three-day farming expo weekend. Normally it rotated between Iowa, Indiana, and Illinois each year, but we got “lucky,” and they kept it for three years in Iowa four miles away from our church. We also volunteered for a couple of five week stretches during baseball season to clean the I-Cubs stadium in Des Moines (supposedly a youth fund-raiser). The Disciple’s Women also held their own Bazaar in mid-October (while the harvesting was being done) which featured a lunch that could be delivered to the farmers in the fields. They sold craft items and seasonal decorations which the ladies spent the entire year making, along with several quilt raffles.
The Church in Richardson, Texas had its’ annual “Garage Sale and Soup Lunch which sold household items, clothes, toys, sports equipment. What did not sell became the basis of that year’s Mike’s Kids drive.
For most of these, it was an all-out effort for the congregations. Afterwards, when everyone was exhausted and happy it was over, many said, “let’s not do that again!” Then every year we/they signed up to do it again! Money was raised; however, it was the time spent putting it together and working the booths that drew people together. The focused task at hand, the fellowship and laughter shared, these were our congregational strengths on display and some of our best ways to advertise who we were as the church.
To all our ladies for a successful Bazaar and Harvest Dinner– Congratulations and Well Done! I trust you had fun as you worked together! Thank you for blessing us with your talent and energy!
In the risen Christ’s service together wherever He leads,
David
