Covenant’s Adult Mission Team is returning to Faith Ministry in Reynosa, Mexico Feb. 8 to Feb. 15, 2007. We’re continuing to work with the women of 1st Presbyterian who love to sew and do crafts. (The Nov. 16 blog entry, gives more details.)
For a brief review, some of the things the women want to make are: covers for appliances, potholders (those made of quilted material or the loops woven on a loom), clown costumes, embroidered tablecloths, pillows made by the rag quilting method, denim jackets (a very popular item in Mexico), and clown costumes.
Items we need so they can make the things they need—and can, hopefully sell to bring in a little extra money:
A heavy duty sewing machine
Clown costume material, make-up, wigs, etc.
All kinds of material and batting for stuffing
Sewing supplies such as needles thread, seam binding
Rickrack, embroidery thread, etc.
Yarn, knitting needles, crochet hooks
Stretch loops and looms for weaving potholders
Tablecloth material for embroidering
Fabric paint
Needlework kits (not ones that need framing)
Christmas crafts, felt, trimmings
Beading materials
In other words—just about anything for sewing or craft work
Ways to donate:
1. Put donations in the CAMT box under the name tag table in Fellowship Hall.
2. Leave them in the church office marked CAMT.
3. Put a check or cash in a pew envelope and mark it CAMT - Mexico.
4. To arrange for a pick-up of donations or for answers to questions, call the churh office: 610-648-0707.
5. To mail material or donations: Covenant Presbyterian Church, 400 Lancaster Avenue, Frazer, PA 19355. (Make checks payable to Covenant Presbyterian Church - CAMT)
(All donations are tax deductable.)
Frank and Joyce are driving again and will leave Sunday, Feb. 4, so donations must be received by that time.
We ask for your prayers for a safe trip for the 7 team members and that we will effectively demonstrate Christ’s love for all people.
And...check back during the trip (2/8 - 2/15) for (hopefully!) daily reports of our activities.
Monday, December 25, 2006
Jean Webster's Kitchen
Eleven years ago, at age 53, Jean Webster, a chef at the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City, was declared totally disabled due to heart problems and was told she should never again work.
Shortly after this, she looked out her window and saw some men looking through garbage cans to find food. She invited them into her home and gave them dinner. Word spread, and, to make a long story short, Presbyterian churches in Atlantic City, Brigantine and Absecon decided to support “Sister Jean” who says God told her to “feed my people.”
A professional kitchen was installed in the Atlantic City church, and the mission has expanded as the number of homeless and working poor has increased. (Those who work with the poor say that every time a new casino opens, the homeless population increases by 10%.) Monday through Friday, three to four hundred people (often more) are fed a fully cooked meal of very generous proportions, and, during the winter, breakfast is also served.
And Jean Webster continues to supervise on a daily basis. There is a board of directors who oversee the work, but Sister Jean is there daily, although her heart is sufficiently weak that she most often sits on a stool from which she can see and direct--in no uncertain terms--what's going on.
Meals are prepared by regular workers, but volunteers from neighboring churches and organizations send teams of people to help serve the meals. Because Covenant is two hours away, we have not signed on for regular monthly assignments, but we do support their work financially as does Donegal Presbytery, and, on several occasions, have helped serve.
Saturday evening, Nov. 11, a concert, awards ceremony and gourmet dinner featuring Rock Cornish game hen was prepared for about 150 volunteers. Frank and Joyce represented Covenant at the event and attended the church service Sunday morning. It was an inspiring experience with the music both days being particularly moving.
Joyce sang I Surrender All off and on for at least a week as well as several other hymns that worked their way into her soul because of the heartfelt way they were sung (not to mention the volume which she normally would have found uncomfortable—but in this instance forced total attention.)
Shortly after this, she looked out her window and saw some men looking through garbage cans to find food. She invited them into her home and gave them dinner. Word spread, and, to make a long story short, Presbyterian churches in Atlantic City, Brigantine and Absecon decided to support “Sister Jean” who says God told her to “feed my people.”
A professional kitchen was installed in the Atlantic City church, and the mission has expanded as the number of homeless and working poor has increased. (Those who work with the poor say that every time a new casino opens, the homeless population increases by 10%.) Monday through Friday, three to four hundred people (often more) are fed a fully cooked meal of very generous proportions, and, during the winter, breakfast is also served.
And Jean Webster continues to supervise on a daily basis. There is a board of directors who oversee the work, but Sister Jean is there daily, although her heart is sufficiently weak that she most often sits on a stool from which she can see and direct--in no uncertain terms--what's going on.
Meals are prepared by regular workers, but volunteers from neighboring churches and organizations send teams of people to help serve the meals. Because Covenant is two hours away, we have not signed on for regular monthly assignments, but we do support their work financially as does Donegal Presbytery, and, on several occasions, have helped serve.
Saturday evening, Nov. 11, a concert, awards ceremony and gourmet dinner featuring Rock Cornish game hen was prepared for about 150 volunteers. Frank and Joyce represented Covenant at the event and attended the church service Sunday morning. It was an inspiring experience with the music both days being particularly moving.
Joyce sang I Surrender All off and on for at least a week as well as several other hymns that worked their way into her soul because of the heartfelt way they were sung (not to mention the volume which she normally would have found uncomfortable—but in this instance forced total attention.)
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