Spring Rummage Sale/Fall Craft Fair are Great Avenues for Fund Raisers

This idea comes from a former music director of the Ottumwa First Presbyterian Church, Gail Masinda.
In these days of tight budgets, being good stewards of our resources is more important than ever. My husband John and I are exhibiting/selling our photography at art shows (www.AsWeSeeNature.com), and apparently others in the area know about us. I received an e-mail from a local church asking if we would be interested in their craft fair. They open up their facilities (could be a fellowship hall, a gym, etc.) to crafters and home businesses (Avon, Scentsy, etc.) and ‘rent’ tables at $15 for an 8 ft. table (plus the area behind the table, about 4 ft. deep). The ‘show’ runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The ladies of the church serve lunch (as a fund raiser) to the public. There will be a bake sale as well. All proceeds from the food they sell and the table rental goes towards youth and mission projects. All proceeds from goods sold by each vendor goes to that vendor. Each vendor is asked (as an option) to donate an item for door prizes.
Another area church does a similar thing, but their fund raiser is an outdoor rummage sale. 10'x10' spaces are ‘rented’ on the church grounds and each person brings whatever rummage sale type items they want to sell. Again, the proceeds from the space rental goes toward church.
In both of these examples, the person renting the space is responsible for the setup, display, and tear down of their space. The costs to the church are minimal, since overhead has to be paid whether the facilities are being used or not. Advertising of the event is done by the hosting church. Spaces are available to church members and non-members.
The church raises dollars through space rental and food sales. They gain local recognition from their advertising. People who may have never been to the church before now know where it is. Greeters can be powerful witnesses to hospitality, openness and acceptance. All of this from using resources already owned by the church. Now that’s good stewardship!

RAGBRAI is Riding through Our Presbytery!

The following of our Des Moines Presbytery churches are supporting riders July 18-25, during the Register’s Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa:

Monday, July 20 – The First Presbyterian Church, 907 Grove Ave., Corning, will have a lunch stop and pie stand. Last time the bikers came through they sold 600 slices – that’s 100 pies! Yum!

The ride will stop in Greenfield overnight where the First Presbyterian Church of Greenfield, 102 S.W. Kent St. (Hwy. 92), will host a chicken and noodle dinner from of 5-8 p.m. Menu includes: chicken and noodles, mashed potatoes, green beans, watermelon and drinks. Cost is $8 with a wristband and $9 for all others.

Tuesday, July 21 – The Trinity United Presbyterian Church, 200 S. Howard St., Indianola, will have an overnight stay for a team of 70 Cedar Rapids riders and are providing a lunch food item of corn-on-the-cob from 11-2 p.m. That same day, they’ll provide 700-800 dinners from 4-8 p.m. Menu includes: pulled-pork sandwiches, corn-on-the-cob with chips and ice cream.

Wednesday, July 22 – The First Presbyterian Church, 737 Braden Ave., Chariton, will be serving a pork loin dinner when RAGBRAI riders stay overnight in their town. The meal will include sliced pork loin, baked potato with the trimmings, green beans, roll, pie and drinks for $8. The charge will be $9 without the registered wristband. They are planning to serve 600. Organ and piano music will be offered to those waiting in the sanctuary.

Thursday, July 23 – The riders will stay overnight in Ottumwa and the First Presbyterian Church, 228 W. 4th St., Ottumwa, will host the local Good Samaritan Society which is serving 500 pork loin dinners at the First Presbyterian Church. Yum!