New Town-Lenah Valley - Famine and muffins
Famine and muffins
Last year's mission projects at St James and St Andrew's, New Town-Lenah Valley have been many and varied.
Under the persuasive direction of Rupert French, our 40 Hour Famine organiser, many members of the parish were encouraged to go without food for 40 hours and raise an outstanding amount of money for World Vision. For the second year we were the top fundraising church in Tasmania and World Vision's Bronwen Hayes presented the winning certificate in December.
Those who chose to deny themselves food would be the first to say that being top church was not the goal, but they all rejoice that they were able to make a generous contribution in helping the peoples of Laos.
In October, Jenny and Andy Bennett from CMS visited us before leaving for Tanzania in January 2008. Jenny and Andy shared in a Spicks and Specks Mission night and spoke at our Sunday services. They will be our link missionaries with CMS and we will support them as they establish themselves in mission life in Ngara, Tanzania.
During Advent our mission focus was the ABM water and sanitation project in remote villages in Burma.
Advent 1 was Labourers' Sunday and through returned envelopes we provided 263 days of labour to carry pipes to the villages.
Advent 2 was Hand Pump Sunday and a parish lunch allowed for the purchase of seven hand pumps to provide easy access to water in the villages.
Advent 3 became Cement Sunday and twenty six bags of cement were provided through a muffin morning tea.
Other mission projects for 2007 have been our support of a chaplain at Ogilvie High School and many members of the parish have taken a liking to the excellent Rwandan Coffee and Tea, the proceeds of which provide cows for Rwandan people in need. Our mission prayer is that God will continue to challenge us to continually look beyond ourselves and encourage us to have a willingness to share the abundance that he provides for us each day.
Your church might consider purchasing tea and coffee from Rwanda - either for that after-service cuppa or for individuals.