What did you do?
After our Growth Animator workshop on September 15 we decided to start our table project. We call our table the Caledonia Community Table. On September 17 we handed out bottled water to anyone who wanted it. It was a hot day and the parade went right by the front lawn of the church. Our next two events were in October and we had a gratitude box. People filled in a card saying what they were grateful for this Thanksgiving, put it in the box and took a cookie. We also had a sign-up sheet for anyone interested in a community choir. We received 20 names, and have started the choir. We will be singing at our local nursing home out on the main street of our community and hope to have a community Christmas sing along event. The cost for coming will be a dry goods item or monetary donation for our local food bank.
After two events we had collected 125 gratitude cards and placed these on our communion table for the Thanksgiving service. We now have a "HOPE" box on our table, from after Thanksgiving until Christmas. We are asking people to write on a card what they hope for this Christmas, not for themselves, but for anyone special. Or for the community, the country, or the world. There are two events where we will be present. These cards of hope will be placed on our communion table for Christmas Eve service and through Advent. Our next box will be a “LOVE” box, and we'll give out heart cookies.
Why did you do it?
We are trying to be seen as an active part of our community. We have no youth or young adults in our community of faith and just want to be visible to all ages. All ages have participated in the different "box" events with many positive comments about just writing down our gratitude, our hope, and in the winter our love, and sharing it with the world. It has been so rewarding to be involved in the open table.
