Missions and Outreach
We at First Church are
presently working on several Mission and Outreach projects. One such
project is the purchasing of Equal Exchange coffees, teas, hot chocolate
mix, baking chocolate and absolutely “sinful” dark chocolate candy
bars. All of the products are organically grown and we can tell you
they are all delicious. We use the Equal Exchange coffees here at
church for our dinners and other functions.
Equal Exchange is a thriving model of Fair Trade
that has exceeded beyond the founders’ original vision. Coffee, tea and
chocolate products from 32 farm cooperatives in 17 countries are presently
offered. The original founders of Equal Exchange were looking for fairness
to farmers and a closer connection between people and the farmers we all
rely on. Equal Exchange (Fair Trade) is part of the UMCOR (United Methodist
Committee on Relief) project. We are proud to use these products and
equally as proud to offer them for purchase to our church members and any
others who so desire to stop in. We feel this is a wonderful way to support
our fellow brothers and sisters from such countries as the Dominican
Republic, Colombia, Nicaragua, India, Ethiopia and Mexico. Fair Trade
system has provided dignity for the producers and has enabled the
establishment of schools and health centers in their villages as well as
clean water. These are only a few of the many blessings coming forth from
Equal Exchange (Fair Trade). We feel blessed to be a blessing.
Along with the Equal Exchange
program we also have devised a new Outreach program here at First Church.
Every local visitor that attends a worship service now receives a personal
visit along with a “Welcoming Bag” with our church information plus a coffee
mug with the UM logo and a jar of honey for their toast or biscuits. Rev.
David Lake is a bee keeper and his bees produce some of the finest honey we
have tasted. The honey placed in our welcoming bags come from the happy
bees of Pastor David. This is our small way of telling our visitors
“Welcome” and invite them to return. Through one such outreach we were very
blessed to find one young woman with 20 years experience ringing handbells.
Needless to say she is now a member of our handbell choir.
We also look at our Fall Festival as
a Mission Project as well as an Outreach Project. During our 2 day festival
we have had as many as 2500 to 3000 people pass through our doors. Yes,
they are here to shop, look for baked goods, eat some of the fine foods that
the United Methodist Women prepare, but they have entered our church, they
have met and talked to our people and some have returned for worship
services. We feel this is a great opportunity to welcome the people of
Kane, and surrounding areas, into our church.
We are continually striving to
be more than we can be. To reach out to our community and to the people
within our community. We want to be more than the “big stone building on
Greeves Street”, we want to be ambassadors of Christ.
