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| Bringing donated food items into worship at United Congl. Church UCC in Tolland on November 13. |
by Rev. Judy Medeiros
TOLLAND (11/17/2011) -- As Christians, Halloween dons a costume, a bag for candy and a box for Unicef. This year that box became Mission:1. But Halloween didn't come this year. The storm, the power outage, fallen trees, and the darkness kept the children from not only their merriment, but their Mission:1 Box collections. That did not stop our children.
Learning about the plight of the hungry and the effect of poverty on so many has deeply affected our church school children. In fact, it has moved them to action. After their workshop with Foodshare -- “Hunger 101” -- they wanted to make a difference. Below are just a few of the stories of faith-in-action initiated by our children. Their example humbles and inspires me. They are learning and embodying that the church is made for mission, while their hearts and hands extend compassion.
In one household the children came up with the idea that if they drank water instead of milk for school lunch, they could give their milk money to Mission:1. Then they took it a step further and decided to bring their own lunch, instead of buying it, and gave that money to Mission: 1 as well. As their Mission:1 boxes filled with coins they grew more and more excited, and could not wait to share how much money they were raising for the hungry by their willingness to sacrifice. A more joyful giver could not be found! Their faces beamed as they carried their box.
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Celebrating Mission:1 |
Mission:1 Totals as of 11.17.11
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Other children with fall birthdays decided to set aside birthday money for Mission:1, while more children joined in by doing the same with their allowances, forgoing a gift or toy they may have wanted to provide a meal for someone else. I even heard of a couple of children who asked for additional chores around the house so they could put more coins in their Mission 1 box.
The fifth and sixth graders decided to hold a bake sale and raised $183.00, never deterred even when weather and loss of power postponed their sale date. In total, our children raised $633.34 for Mission:1, to be given to the Hockanum Tri-County Food Bank. We can all be so proud of their efforts.
As we gathered on November 13 to dedicate the 1,111 food items and money raised by our children for our local food panties, in addition to the generous donations contributed to Neighbors in Need and African Famine Relief, we embodied what the gospel reminds us: when one person suffers, all suffer; when one person rejoices, all rejoice.
The Rev. Judy Medeiros is associate pastor of the United Congregational Church UCC in Tolland.
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