JIBC Family, there are three things I want to share with you in today’s article.
First, our annual Fall Festival is just around the corner, Thursday, October 31. We are already asking our church family and friends to do three things: pray, donate candy (lots of candy) and volunteer. We will have the most people of the year on our church campus that night. We throw a great party and the crowds will come. We have about 50 volunteers already and we need about 40 more. You can volunteer for 1½ hours or for the entire evening of 3 hours. There are a variety of games and booths were you can serve. No talent or training needed, just willing, happy hearts. This is a family friendly positive alternative to some of the more harsh traditional Halloween events. Volunteers make it a success. We cannot do it without large number of willing volunteers. Please consider signing up to help. Signup sheets are located by the office and in the worship bulletins.
Second, our next response to Hurricane Helene Relief Efforts will be two-fold. First, I have it in my heart to carry 500 pounds of venison to our friends Charles and Judy Dillon. Former members, they have given their lives over the past 20 years to feeding the masses during devastating disasters. They are currently set up in Greeneville, Tennessee feeding 150 people a day. This is a totally volunteer ministry. I already have 225 pounds of venison donated. I am asking our hunters to donate to this cause and to ask their hunting buddies to donate. I think we can reach a goal of carrying 500lbs of venison if our hunters will feel the call. That 500 lbs, by my calculations, can feed over 2000 meals of stew, chili or spaghetti! My plans are to go to Greeneville, Tennessee to drop off supplies on Monday, October 28 and to return on Tuesday, October 29. Please let me know if you are interested and willing to donate and help collect some donated venison. Come on, let’s go hunting for Jesus!
Third, cold weather is already setting in up in the mountains. I want us to send 100 coats of any and all sizes to Charles and Judy to be distributed. Charles told me last week “If you bring the meat, I’ll cook it and if you bring the coats, we will distribute them”. My response: “Then get your freezers ready and your space cleared out, JIBC is coming”. So, do you have a gently worn coat you no longer wear or that does not fit? Bring it to the church and drop it off by the office. Please make sure to include something with your name and the size of the coat. Right now, we are only accepting coats from our members and friends. If we do not reach the goal of 100, then I will release the Krackens (our best and most serious Goodwill shoppers) to go to every Goodwill store in our region to buy coats. Let’s give our JIBC family a chance to meet the need. If you wanted to buy a new coat to donate, that would be great. Just make sure you leave the tags on it. There is a reason for doing that.
I love you all. That is the kind of church I pastor!
Pastor Tom
