Page 40 - Presbyterian Connection, Spring 2020

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PRESBYTERIAN
SPRING 2020
presbyterian.ca
Connection
NEWS
Going Once,
Going Twice, SOLD!
By the Rev. Peggy Kipfer,
St. Paul’s Presbyterian Church in Thornbury, Ont.
What do you get when you put a group of Presbyterians in a room, feed them a turkey dinner, and give them an opportunity to make a dif- ference in the world? $18,900 for Presbyterian World Service & Devel- opment’s Gifts of Change! And this is no riddle, nor is it a joke! It happened at the “Gifts of Change” auction at St. Paul’s Presbyterian Church in Thorn- bury, Ont., in December.
How you ask? Prior to the auction, a variety of items from the Gifts of Change gift catalogue (which lists projects supported by The Presby- terian Church in Canada and Presby- terian World Service & Development) were selected to be “auctioned.” The night of the auction, each person was assigned a bidding card, and the fun began. A person could bid any amount, contributing to the cumula- tive purchase of an item. Among the items auctioned were goats, to gen- erate an income for people with dis- abilities. The bidder could bid $55, which would cover the cost of one goat, or bid any amount toward the purchase of a goat. Even the children got in on the fun and excitement, bid- ding a dollar or two dollars to sup- port the projects of their choice with their allowance or savings. At the end of each bidding session it was announced how many of the items had been purchased.
Participants came armed with a list of people for whom they wanted to buy an item as a Christmas pre- sent. Others purchased items in someone’s honour or memory.
Another aspect of the auction was the sale of Guys’ Pies. The men of the congregation were asked to make a dessert to sell. The deca-
Children bidding on the items.
The Gifts of Change auction at St. Paul’s Thornbury.
dent desser ts were auctioned one by one, and bidding was extremely brisk. One box of homemade cook- ies sold for $350 and was left at the church for coffee hour that Sunday. A 500 ml jar of honey from a local apiary sold for $250! The money raised from the sale of Guys’ Pies went toward purchasing eight hand- pump wells at a cost of $720 each.
This was the third year the congre- gation hosted such an event, but the first time that it gathered for a turkey
dinner prior to the auction. One of the congregation’s farm families do- nated two large turkeys and others signed up to bring the complements. Desser t was made and provided by the social committee who planned the dinner and decorated the hall in Christmas splendour.
It truly was a joyous occasion and fulfilled our congregation’s desire to reach out to help others in need, even those whom we might never meet. To God be the Glory!
Many people would like to have a conversation about planned giving.
Talk to us.
The Presbyterian Church in Canada administers more than 25 funds designed to help donors leave a lasting legacy of transformed lives. Areas of impact include:
Creative Ministries for Children and Youth Fund Healing and Reconciliation Fund Refugee and Inner City Missions in Canada Presbyterian World Service & Development International Missions Assistance for Churches and Ministers
Contact: Stewardship & Planned Giving Telephone: 1-800-619-7301
The Presbyterian Church in Canada plannedgiving@presbyterian.ca