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42nd Harvest of Talents at Lincoln
Christian Church
[October 27, 2025]
At the 42nd Harvest of Talents
at Lincoln Christian Church Saturday, October 25, crowds of people
showed up to shop, eat and help raise money to feed hungry people.
The Harvest of Talents for World Hunger gives 100 percent of the
funds raised to International Disaster Emergency Service, which
“exists to meet physical and spiritual needs of suffering people
throughout the world in the name of Jesus Christ.”
Over the past 41 years, this event has raised $3,000,656 to help
provide food for the hungry in 43 countries including the United
States.
As always, the church foyer was
filled with many indoor booths that included a variety of
handcrafted items such as quilts, wreaths, seasonal décor, baby
gifts, fashion accessories, “man cave” items and items from other
countries.
In addition, there were tables full of baked goods, homemade sweet
treats, jams, honey and home canned goods.
While shopping, people could park at the curb by the church’s Pekin
Street entrance. For a donation, Aaron, Owen and Eli Roemer checked
the vehicle’s tire pressure, oil and filters, topped off windshield
wiper fluid, washed the windshield and dusted and vacuumed the
interior.
At the H.O.T. spa, people could get
their hair braided or have tinsel put in, have their scalp massaged
or have their nails painted for a small donation.
Downstairs in the children’s
ministry area, a Lego station was set up. Many children enjoyed
making their own creations or building with a Lego kit.
God Always Provides (G.A.P.),
represented the mission International Disaster Emergency Services.
G.A.P. had tables set up where people of all ages had an opportunity
to serve by packing nutritious meals for those around the world
suffering from hunger. The group has fundraisers at Culver’s several
times a year and some employees from Culvers participated in packing
the meals. Each packet was filled with rice, soy, dehydrated
vegetables and vitamins and minerals. In just a few hours, the group
boxed up thousands of packets.
In the morning, hungry shoppers
enjoyed cinnamon rolls, caramel pecan rolls, breakfast burritos and
fried potatoes.
At lunchtime, volunteers served homemade vegetable soup, sloppy joes
and dessert in the fellowship center. Down the hallway, there was a
drink station with fresh brewed sweet tea, lemonade, cider and
bottled water.
In one of the other rooms, pulled pork sandwiches, Italian beef
sandwiches, tacos, macaroni and cheese, hand fruit pies and an apple
sundae bar were available.
Around a small outdoor fire pit, people could warm up with hot
drinks and roast marshmallows to make s’mores.
At one of the tables outdoors, children could paint pumpkins.
Other outdoor areas were set up with someone sharpening knives,
someone doing henna body art and someone creating balloon art.
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IDES Executive Director David Stine
said, “42 years of feeding hungry people shows the generosity of not
just the church but the community. Lincoln has a heart for starving
people.
Harvest of Talents Co-chairs
Bethany Henry and Natalie Morris, plus many volunteers, spent the
day making sure everything was running smoothly as people shopped
and ate.
Henry, Morris and H.O.T. team members spend a great deal of time and
energy planning for the Harvest of Talents starting months before
the event.
Besides the Harvest of Talents,
there are several events during the year that help raise funds
including a Christmas cookie walk, Spring for tea, Culver’s G.A.P.
nights, IGA cookouts and bake sales, 3rd Friday taco booths and the
H.O.T. musical offering. Families also fill “Sonfish” banks with
money for IDES.
Around one o’clock, tables were cleared out of the Fellowship Center
to set up for auction.
When it was time for the auction to begin, Morris welcomed everyone
then had IDES staff member Rita Camden open with prayer. Camden
decided to use a devotional written by fifteen year old Luke Stine
for the prayer She thanked the Lord and asked for his blessing on
all the people who help the harvest by using talents and doing so
much to further God’s kingdom.
Camden then asked the Lord to bless the Harvest of Talents and all
the work every person has put in, to help us show our love to the
world through gifts and offerings that we give. She prayed the money
raised would be used to bring many people to the Lord and bring him
glory and honor.
As the auction began, auctioneer
Mike Maske encouraged everyone to cheer people on so they would bid
higher.
First up on the auction was a first fruits offering from
thirteen-year-old CJ Weber, who wrote Fourth Down, a story of faith
and friendship.
One unique auction item was a dollhouse assembled by Margie Braucher
out of plastic crates decorated with wallpaper and filled with doll
furniture.
Christmas items included a pewter Nativity set from Kenya and a
lighted 8 ¾ foot metal tree handcrafted by Howard Conrady.
As always, several beautiful quilts
were up for auction and got lots of bids. This year, a Millenium
quilt consisting of 2,000 pieces featuring blocks from all 50 states
and around the world brought in a record breaking $8900. Another
quilt purchased for $350 was then donated back and purchased again
for $450.
Whether you use your talents to make something to sell at Harvest of
Talents or buy the handcrafted items, you contribute to the
important work of IDES. The money raised will help feed some of the
many hungry people in the world. The far-reaching support for this
work shows people the love of Christ and will hopefully continue for
years to come.
[Angela Reiners]
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