Prayer Giraffes!

All of our prayer giraffes were sponsored before the commissioning service this past Sunday. Sponsors were asked to give a donation of any amount toward their giraffes and we raised over $500. The money collected will be put toward communication supplies (printer paper and ink cartridges) and internet and satellite fees for Paula and Denny at Nyakato.

A big THANK YOU to Phyllis who sewed the little giraffes and then to my mom who stuffed and finished them up.

We will be working this week on the bigger giraffes (that will go to Tanzania with us). If you would like to help sew, stuff or stitch please leave a comment below.

Walking Update

Twiga Brusi has reached the continent of Africa and is a little more than half way of the 9324 miles to Tanzania.

As of the beginning of June, we have walked a total of 4912 miles - only 4417 miles left!

We need to keep walking and pick up the pace or we will be arriving in Tanzania before Brusi gets there.

Quilt Raffle Winner

The drawing took place today at 12:30pm after Atonement's 11:00am service and Don drew the winning ticket. Don's mother hand stitched the beautiful quilt which was donated for the fundraiser.

Congratulations to JoAnn - who purchased her tickets the first weekend of the raffle. Actually, her daughter bought them for her as a nice Mother's Day gift.

The Quilt Raffle was a success - We sold all but 7 of the 240 tickets that were printed and we raised over $950.

Many thanks and blessings to all who purchased tickets - We truly appreciate your participation and financial support toward our mission trip to Tanzania.
A special thanks to Cindy and Don - and of course, Don's mother for donating the quilt. Cindy did an awesome job this past weekend 'hawking" tickets. "Little bruce" (our giraffe mascot) did a great job, too!

Walking to Tanzania Update

Bruce, our little walking giraffe is almost half way to Tanzania - only a few more miles and he will be able to get his hooves on the continent of Africa.

As of May 10 we have accumulated 4581 miles toward Bruce's trek to Tanzania - only 4743 miles left. Now that the weather is warmer we should all be able to get out and walk a few miles toward the total and keep Bruce going.

Keep Walking! Let's make sure that once he is on the ground in Africa, Bruce will be running (not walking) to get to his homeland of Tanzania!

Quilt Raffle to Benefit M4M Mission

This past weekend we kicked off our quilt raffle to benefit our mission trip and the eye clinic in Mwanza. Ticket will be sold for the next three weeks and the drawing will be on Sunday, May 31st.

Tickets are $5 each or 5 tickets for $20. Tickets are sold at the Tanzania Table in the narthex during the weekend services.

The queen size quilt is beautiful and was donated for the raffle by our team members, Cindy and Don. Here Cindy and a couple other gals from the TZ team are showing off the quilt at the Palm Sunday brunch. The actual size of the quilt is 86" x 102".

Don's 85 year old mother hand stitched the detail on the quilt with loving care. This is one of the 35 quilts she has made over the past 25 years.

The quilt is on display at the TZ Table in the narthex where you can see it up close, check out the detail in the stitching and feel how soft and cozy it is.

More information to come in future posts.

Quilt Tidbits

We sold another $90 worth of ticket for the quilt raffle over the second weekend.

Don told me that the pattern is called "Pennsylvania Folk Art" and a line drawing of the pattern is shown above. It takes Don's 85 year old mother 6 to 9 months to hand stitch her quilts - she has made over 35 during the past 25 years. She works on her beautiful quilts on her screened in porch when she's in Florida or in her living room when back home in the midwest.

Equal Exchange

Fairness to farmers. A closer connection between people and the farmers we all rely on.

This was the vision the founders had for Equal Exchange back in 1986 - it took three years to establish the new organization that has these global attributes:
• A social change organization that would help farmers and their families gain more control over their economic futures.
• A group that would educate consumers about trade issues affecting farmers.
• A provider of high-quality foods that would nourish the body and the soul.
• A company that would be controlled by the people who did the actual work.
• A community of dedicated individuals who believed that honesty, respect, and mutual benefit are integral to any worthwhile endeavor.

Click here for the link to the Equal Exchange website.

We have many Equal Exchange coffees, teas and chocolates for sale at our Tanzania Table in the narthex, including the Tanzania Full City Roast -
Wild and exotic, the sweet spicy aroma of this East Africa coffee, grown at the foot of Mt. Kilimanjaro, is heavy and multi-dimensional. This coffee is rich, and the complexity is layered with vanilla, molasses, and hints of cherry and maple. Assertive and thick with a snappy bite.

Walking to Tanzania Update

As of March 9 we have 2650 recorded miles toward Tanzania. That leaves 6674 miles left - keep walking!

A BIG THANK YOU!

Thank You to all who supported Game Night on February 28, by buying tickets and coming to join together in the fun and fellowship.

The final total that was received from the Game Night ended up being $1424.81 with the Thrivent match with all proceeds going to support the Miwani for Mwanza Mission!

We could not have gotten the support and results without the hard work of many on the Tanzania team plus other interested members. This is what happens when we work together!!

Tanzania Game Night...Part 2?

Whether you were a part of the Game Night Task Team or just came to play we thank you! The prep work that was done made for a fairly flawless evening and all who were involved had positive feedback to bring. It was such a success that discussion is underway for a Tanzania Game Night Part 2 in the Spring. To Bette Croes and the Game Night Task Team-thank you for your hard work!

If you are helping out at the TZ Table this weekend, please make sure that you display the TANZANIA GAME NIGHT sign-up sheet and have the tickets available for purchase. This is the last Sat/Sun that we will be able to get the worship crowd.

For those of you on the TZ Game Night Task Team, you have a meeting at 7pm on Tuesday, February 24th.

Walking to Tanzania Update

As of February 16, 2009 we have 32 walkers with 1511 recorded miles That leaves 7813 miles left for us to walk to Tanzania (the total is 9324 miles).

There was $1,100 that was turned in this past weekend designated specifically for the walk!

Keep Walking!

Divine Chocolate Valentines

Valentine's Day is this Saturday. Divine Chocolates would make a wonderful gift for your valentine and or loved ones - and you would also be supporting the Fair Trade Chocolate farmers and producers in Africa.

The chocolates are available at the Tanzania table during the weekend services - if you stop by the church during the week ask at the office about the Fair Trade cart and the Divine Chocolates.

There are an assortment of sizes and varieties of the Divine Chocolates including the small boxed chocolates shown above. These cute little handmade boxes contain 3 bite size Divine Dark Chocolates and are $1 each (or 6 for $5). They are available at the Fair Trade cart and are also available by making your request in a comment below this post or by sending an email to kwalbe1@earthlink.net

Click on the name Divine Chocolate to visit their website. The mission of the company is to improve the livelihood of smallholder cocoa producers in West Africa by establishing their own dynamic chocolate brand.

The Divine Chocolate company strives to:

Make a quality and affordable range of Fair Trade chocolate bars accessible to chocolate lovers everywhere.

Raise awareness of Fair Trade issues among retailers and consumers of all age groups.

Be highly visible and vocal in the chocolate sector and thereby act as a catalyst for change.

What is Fair Trade?
Fair Trade aims to build dignified trading relationships between consumers in the North and producers in developing countries. This involves changing the way that conventional international trade works, so that:

Producers receive a guaranteed price for their goods, and the security of long-term trading contracts

Producers benefit from guaranteed minimum health and safety conditions.

Producers, their workplace and the environment are not exploited.

Strong democratic businesses with real participation develop.

Leadership development with gender equity is fostered.

Education and training opportunities for producers, especially women, are actively promoted.

Walking to Tanzania Update

Just from this past weekend's collection, $255 was collected in sponsor donations for the Walking to Tanzania Fundraiser!

If you have not utilized this to your advantage and sent out letters-do so! What a simple way to raise awareness and money. Brooke sent out an email with the letter in an attachment.

How to Participate:
1.) Sign up by putting your name on the chart in the Gathering Place.
2.) Get a sponsor each week (simply a donation). Seek sponsors beyond Atonement. If you don’t find a sponsor, pay $1 and keep walking.
3.) Put the donations you receive in the envelopes designated, “Walking to Tanzania” and place in the offering plate. Envelopes will be found on Tanzania table. Record your miles each week on the chart in the Gathering Place. Children can collect pennies and deposit them at in the clear jar at the Tanzania table.

Walking to Tanzania Fundraiser

It is 9324 miles to Tanzania and together we can walk, jog, bike swim, or whatever you do best to tally up miles to Tanzania.

Keep a count of your miles each week and enter them on the tally sheet found in the Gathering Place on the bulletin board shown in the picture above.

We have six months to get there. Find someone to sponsor you each week. Go beyond the church, seek out family, co-workers, friends, relatives, neighbors, the friendly clerk in the store and anyone else you can think of.

Put the donations you receive in the Walking to Tanzania envelopes and place them in the offering plates. Envelopes can be found at the Tanzania table in the narthex.

You may get fifty cents one week and fifty dollars the next. If you don’t get a sponsor one week just drop $1 in the big jar at the Tanzania table and keep walking. Just remember to make it fun!

Even the children can help – they can save pennies and bring them to church and put them in the jar at the Tanzania table.

We will see how long it takes us to fill that jar and get to Tanzania!

Make it fun – form a group - involve your clubs- use your imagination.
You will be the one who ultimately benefits.

Be a healthier you - Walk to Tanzania - 9324 Miles - CAN YOU DO IT?

Game Night Fundraiser

The Game Night Fundraiser is Saturday, February 28th - 6:00pm to 9:00pm -a night of Food, Fun and Fellowship for the whole family.

Games to be played include poker, Bunko, Scrabble, Bingo, Bridge, Nintendo Wii games, and other board games like Monopoly.

We'll also have movies and other activities for both youth and smaller kids. An obstacle course is planned for the smaller kids, too.

We'll be selling food at the event as well - Hot dogs, Sloppy Joes, Nachos, Popcorn, Fruit, Drinks and Ice Cream Dippin' Dots are on the menu.

Tickets go on sale on the 31st of January and will be at the Tanzania table in the narthex. Advance tickets are $4 for individuals, $15 for families, and at the event will be $5/$20) We'll have more details in the upcoming Messenger and the Atonement Times.

The team met Tuesday night and will meet again before the Game Night event on Tuesday, February 24th. Thanks to Bette and the Game Night Team for your hard work and support toward this event.

Game Night Meeting Tuesday Evening

This is a reminder of the meeting of the Game Night helpers on Tuesday, January 27th at 7:00 PM in Room 107.

Please be ready to report your progress/plans for the area you signed up for.

We will need to finalize the plans for Game Night. Thank you for your help with this project!!