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1172 Books for
Sierra Leone Library
Jinni Easterday and books collected for the latest African Library - the 9th that Skyland will have shipped.
With the generous donations from the Loma Prieta Community , we have collected 1,172 books to go to Tungbebu Primary School, Tungbebu Village, Baoma Chiefdom, Bo District, Sierra Leone.
The library will serve both the 335 primary school children and the community in this small village. There is no electricity at the school. "We have applied for a library to various organizations but to no avail," writes the Town Chief, John Mommodin, in his application to the African Library Project and RISE, the ALP partner in Sierra Leone. "We would be very grateful if you accepted our application."
Happily, ALP paired us with Tungbebu village and we will be sending the first children's books in English to create their first library.
Many of the books are storybooks from from Jan Parker's remarkable collection. We will pack the books in early August and then send them to New Orleans, where they will be containerized and shipped to Sierra Leone.
Sierra Leone kids will learn
to read from this replica of
one of
Leonardo's notebooks
We would also like to include school supplies; donations of paper, pencils, sharpeners, scissors, markers, Scotch tape and color construction paper would be appreciated. Please bring donations to downstairs Whitaker.
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Mission Board aids Baobab AIDS/HIV Kids
T
he Mission Board has agreed to purchase the Junior African Writers Series (JAWS) books, including the HIV/AIDS children's storybooks, for the Baobob Home (tzkids.org) in Tanzania.
The JAWS books are very inexpensive (about $2 each); they are helpful to all of the Baobob Home programs - but especially to
Stronger Together
, the support group for HIV+ children.
Two
summers ago, Matt Colbran-Patterson volunteered at the Baobob Home and worked with the
Stronger Together
group as well as helping transport and advocate for the medically fragile children with HIV/AIDS in the Baobob orphanage.
Since 2004, the Baobob Home has been helping children and families affected by HIV/AIDS and poverty. Located on a solar-powered, biogas fueled farm just outside Bagamoyo, Tanzania, Beobab runs a family style orphanage, a school, and a Breakfast Program as well as Stronger Together.
-- A.E.
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Altar Flowers
Several Sundays in August are open for donating altar flowers. Please sign up in Whitaker Hall.
such light watering but salvia reward us with red, purple blaze. -- haiku by John Heyes
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Meditation Moment
Micah preaching; illustration by Gustave Doré
What does the Lord require of you but to do justice,
to love kindness
and to walk humbly with your God?
-- Micah 6:8
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Photo by Larry Cooke
Minister's
Column
Bench Dedication August 9
Dear Skyland Friends,
Please join us for a historic moment in the life of our church. On Sunday the 9th, we will dedicate the new memorial bench, which bears the names of over 100 deceased members and family of these members.
This project had its beginnings when Alice Schank asked me some years ago if I would scatter her ashes on the church grounds when she died. That moment lead to a series of ideas and discussions, the engagement of the Memorial Committee, and a seven-year project to honor our beloved ones who have died. I join the multitude of those who are proud of the results of this project and want to extend particular gratitude to a few key people who made it happen.
First, I want to thank Larry and Diane Cooke for the financial contribution that made it possible. When they made their donation, none of us knew what shape our memorial would take. Now we know.
Don Law led the Memorial Committee for all the years it took to make the bench happen. Larry Lopp was the project manager. Margretta has been on the committee since the beginning. Nancy Jo, Lou and Mary Ellen have been very active since we started laying out the names. Glenda McCalla was on the committee until almost the end. Jeremy Cole was appointed to the committee by the Deacons in the last year or two. Thank you, friends, for all you did to make this beautiful and historic event happen for us.
We have invited the community to join us and expect a good turnout. We will dedicate the bench at the end of the Sunday service on the 9th, recessing from worship to the bench and nearby deck. Cake and beverages will follow.
There is a lot to be said for not rushing into things! This long but very fruitful project will grace the grounds of our church for decades (centuries?) to come. We will bless it together with great joy.
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Ready to Jam? Mary Ellen Wants
Harvest Festival jam and jelly maven Mary Ellen McTamaney asks: What have you made? What else can you make? We can always use more of every kind of jam but traffic. We welcome chutneys, pickles, compotes, beautiful jewel-like jellies and yummy jams to our shelves! I hear about lots of wonderful apricot and plum items being made. We can use all kinds of bases; for example, I'm making cherry chutney from dried fruit. Take a look online for further inspiration and we'll make this the best season yet!
-- Mary Ellen McTamaney
Mary Ellen's Internet links:
All Recipes has more than 130 trusted jam and jelly recipes complete with ratings, reviews and serving tips.
Taste of Home has condiment recipes for dressings, jams, jellies, relishes.
Tipnut has more than 100 hand-picked recipes featuring homemade jams, jellies & marmalades made from fruits, berries, herbs.
The PODs are Here
These are the staging areas for items to be sold at the Harvest Festival Sept. 19. Needed are household items in good condition, clothes, toys, books, and other special items. Listen for collection dates and times at Sunday announcements, and sign up to help on the sheet in Whitaker Hall.
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Note from your treasurer:
July 2015 financial report
Combination of Pledge and offering gifts are down about $2,400 from planned budget for first two months. I still need to massage expected giving ups and downs throughout the year based on last year's bumpy road.
Here are our operating finances for July 2015 as of July 29.
Summary of Operating Finances
Jul 2015 | Jun 1,2015 to Jul 29
Actual Planned | Actual Planned Income $ 8,762 $ 10,297 | $ 28,194 $ 30,734 Expenses $ 9,930 $ 9,573 | $ 29,635 $ 29,723 Net $ (-1,168) $ 724 | $(-1,441) $ 1,011
-- Gerald J. Alonzo, Treasurer
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