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 At Monday night’s City Council meeting, Harvest Founder, Pat Snyder,
and Harvest Chairperson, Carolyn Neal, graciously accepted a special
Proclamation from City of Lincoln Mayor Elizabeth Davis-Kavelman
that officially proclaimed the fourth Saturday of October 2008 as
‘Harvest Day’ in Lincoln. The Mayor commended the efforts of those
involved with seeing the Harvest welcome its 25th anniversary.
Harvest of Talents began in 1984, when, inspired by a sermon given
by Gene Shepherd at Lincoln Christian Church that challenged
everyone to use their God-given talents and abilities to help others
in the name of the Lord, Pat Snyder envisioned an ‘every person
ministry’ that would involve people of all ages and ‘harvest’ their
talents to raise funds for hunger relief. The church leadership
fully endorsed the new venture, and the first Harvest raised
$20,816.45! Since then, every penny raised has been disbursed by
International Disaster Emergency Service, a 4-Star Charity (see
www.ides.org and http://www.ides.org/hungerprograms.php), through
missionaries to aid hunger victims in 19 countries (including the
U.S.A.). Over $1,272,000 has been raised in the past 24 years in
Lincoln alone, in addition to that raised through four other
Harvests we have mentored in Illinois and Indiana.
The Harvest now encompasses more than offering the ‘work of our
hands’ for sale on the fourth Saturday of October; it has grown into
a year-round ministry that involves people from across the nation
and even the world! The Harvest now recycles aluminum, saves coins,
has special event license plates, authors an annual prayer calendar,
and hosts ‘Spring for Tea in Lincoln’, ‘In the Garden’ garden walk,
‘Golf Play Day’, ‘Musical Offering for World Hunger’, ‘Harvest Run’
(in cooperation with the local YMCA), ‘Holiday Homes on Tour’, and
‘Wrapping up the Harvest’ cookie walk for Christmas. The 22-member
Harvest Ministry Team works throughout the year to plan and
coordinate all Harvest events.
Thousands of people die each day from hunger-related causes. Through
the Harvest, we have a way to turn our talents and resources into
food for the hungry. We are better when we give. Lincoln and Logan
County can be proud of the generosity and compassion of its talented
people expressed in many ways, but certainly through the Harvest of
Talents for World Hunger, a home-grown original idea that became an
exciting and victorious ministry ~ victories in lives that are
changed ~ both the life of the giver and that of the receiver.
On our Silver Anniversary, we highlight God’s faithfulness through
the blessings of this ‘every person ministry’, recognizing that each
person has a talent (1 Peter 4:10), that we are blessed to be a
blessing, and that each Harvest is a success because people are fed
physically and spiritually while bridges of hope are built in Jesus’
name. We want to be found faithful to Matthew 25:35, ‘For I was
hungry, and you fed me.’
A special Celebration Sunday Worship Service will be held at the
Chapel of Lincoln Christian College and Seminary on October 26, at
10 a.m., with guest speaker, Tom Gerdts, former preaching minister
of Lincoln Christian Church for 20 years, and featuring special
music, a ‘Parade of Flags’, and brief remarks from Rick Jett,
Executive Director of International Disaster Emergency Service (a
4-star charity), Pat Snyder, Harvest Founder, and Carolyn Neal,
Harvest Chairperson. The amount of funds raised so far this year
will be announced with the presentation of a check to I.D.E.S. for
hunger relief around the world. Funds raised through the remainder
of the year will be sent to I.D.E.S. in late December.
Come to the 25th Anniversary Harvest this Saturday!
Come with your family and friends, as there’s something for
everyone. The excitement is building as we look forward to
celebrating the Harvest’s silver anniversary! The doors to the
Family Room of Lincoln Christian Church at 204 N. McLean Street will
open at 7 a.m. with fall décor, fresh-baked homemade cinnamon and
pecan rolls, lots and lots of handcrafted items for sale, outside
snack tents with tasty treats, and new this year: outside
entertainment!
There is no admission fee, but Harvest will gratefully accept
non-perishable food items for donation to the Lincoln/Logan County
Food Pantry all day Saturday; shopping carts will be available at
the entrances to place your donated items in ... let’s fill them to
overflowing! We recycle aluminum all year long, and you’re welcome
to bring your aluminum cans to Harvest as well. Every penny counts
and goes a long way in places like Haiti, where $3/month will
purchase a year’s supply of rice for one person ~ or in India, where
$10 will fee one person a meal a day for one month ~ and in Zimbabwe
where $4.50 will provide a meal for 16 kids.
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Bring your lawn chair and enjoy the music and entertainment outside
while you choose from hot chocolate, cider, flavored coffees, tea,
soft drinks, and bottled water to go with your muffin, scone, snack
& trail mixes, walking taco, hot dog, caramel apple sundae, curly
fries, gingerbread cookies, apple cake, caramel corn, popcorn balls,
or smoked pork sandwich! And don’t miss the new CUPcakes ~ easy to
enjoy in a complimentary mug. We even have ‘stroller snacks’ for our
toddler guests.
Step inside to savor a bowl of H.O.T. and hearty vegetable soup made
in the big black kettles outdoors. You’ll love the homemade bread
and pie. (Yes, we have carry-outs if you need to get back to work or
on the road.) Place a bid at the silent auction, get your face or
hand painted with a cool design, stop by the calligraphy table for a
personalized pressed flower bookmark, and sign the Harvest Guest
Book fireside in the hospitality room where you can learn more about
the Harvest and get your favorite Harvest logo wear. Get everyone
together for a professional photo, suitable for framing or as your
holiday card ~ processed at the photographer’s booth while you wait
or shop. For your convenience and a small donation, you’re welcome
to take advantage of the monitored coat check room to store your
stroller, coat, or packages to save a trip to the car.
Commemorating the 25th anniversary are limited edition silver 3-D
Harvest logo ornaments and a new cook book with over 700 of our
favorite Harvest recipes. These make great gifts at $10 each. Be
sure to bring your holiday gift list with you on Harvest Day, as
you’ll find all kinds of neat items made and donated to the Harvest
by talented people. We recommend you come early for best selection
from the popular specialty areas that include refurbished vintage
objects, fun things for your pet and gardens, beautiful Christmas
decorations and silk floral arrangements, gifts from around the
world sent by our missionaries, bracelets and accessories,
needlework and quilted items, and gifts for babies, children, and
sports fans. Now’s the time to stock up on homemade jellies, jams,
salsa, pickles, candies & sweets, and all kinds of baked goods,
including homemade pies, breads, rolls, cookies, muffins, and cakes!
The Harvest is also thrilled to announce the return of the fun
‘Harvest Run’, in cooperation with our local YMCA. Sign up with your
friends and family to take part in the 5K Run/Walk that begins at
8:30. Participants will receive a water bottle and breakfast; the
first 25 persons to sign up will also receive a t-shirt. Awards will
be given for top male and top female in each age division.
We love the little Harvest Hands and have special activities planned
inside for Kindergarten through 4th graders. Over 25 years, we have
had the good fortune to see the third and fourth generation of
Harvest families. Through the Harvest, we can help our children
develop compassion for others and share their own talents and
resources.
We’re fortunate again this year to receive a semi-truck load of
freshly harvested potatoes from the Maynard family farm in South
Dakota. 50# bags are available for $10, and a few 20# bags are $5
while supplies last. Many of us cannot use that much, but we can
still buy them and have them delivered free to the local food
pantry, Inner City Mission in Springfield, or Home Sweet Home
Mission in Bloomington.
Always lots of fun and suspense is our live auction at 2:00. Mike
Maske will donate his auctioneer services and the opening prayer
will be given by T. Lunkim, missionary and minister from northeast
India’s Kuki Tribe. We never know what to expect for sure till later
in the week, but we have received word that there’ll be a hickory
chest of drawers, an oak bookcase made from church pews, a little
Illini rocking chair, a signed original cartoon by local artist
Julie Larson, creator of ‘The Dinette Set’ syndicated cartoon
series, fine needlework, a framing of A. Lincoln, and heirloom
quality hand-stitched original design quilts and other treasures! We
have received a quilt from Indonesia, illustrating how the Harvest
has come full circle, since some quilters there learned the art of
quilting from our own Harvest of Talents quilters. Another stunning
quilt has been received that was made for the 25th Harvest in memory
of a loved one.
Of course, the focus of this Harvest Day is at the heart of
missions. As visitors enter the church’s family room, one of the
first things they’ll see is a large 7’x8’ globe in front of 23
flags, representing some of the countries where we know
missionaries. We trust the Lord of the Harvest to multiply our
efforts and funds to help provide lots of rice and beans for His
hungry children near and far. While we are all facing tough economic
times, we have resources not found in most of the world’s poorest
countries. Even in these times, we are grateful to have something to
share. On behalf of those who will receive much needed food in
Jesus’ name, thank you for your generosity. You are storing treasure
in Heaven ~
For more information, contact:
Carolyn Neal, Harvest Chairperson, 737-9170
Lincoln Christian Church, 732-7618
website
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