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Minute for Mission
Eyeglasses Ministry
by Rick Greene
MISSION FINANCE TEAM
They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share. Timothy I 6:18
In 1925, Helen Keller challenged the Lions to become "knights of the blind in the crusade against darkness." The Lions Club rose to the challenge and today sight programs remain one of its defining causes.
One of the main services offered by the Lions Club is a free voucher program called OneSight, offering a service called SightFirst worldwide. These centers provide other health-related services, educational needs, vision testing, and scholarships. The Lions Club donates about 30 million pairs of glasses each year to developing countries using collection boxes in libraries, community centers, and other neighborhood locations, including First Community Church.
There are more than 7 billion people on our planet, and an estimated 2.5 billion of them suffer from the same health problem, regardless of their gender, age, or ethnicity. That means that almost 18% of the world’s population is unable to effectively learn or work because they can’t see clearly. Whether moderate or severe, vision impairment can have far-reaching social and economic impacts on the lives of individuals, their families, and the communities they call home. 90% of world’s visually impaired lives in low-income settings
When looking at the statistics relating to children, there is a grim future unless something is done: 30% of children worldwide experience vision problems. Refractive error accounts for 68.5% of visual impairment in children. Poor vision and school failure often go hand in hand.
About 65% of all people who are visually impaired are aged 50 and older, while this age group comprises about 20% of the world’s population. With an increasing elderly population in many countries, more people will be at risk of visual impairment due to chronic eye diseases and aging processes.
First Community Church collects unused eyeglasses (prescription and reading) that are taken to The OSU College of Optometry and sorted based upon prescription. These are then used on social service missions via S.V.O.S.H (Student Volunteer Optometric Services to Humanity). SVOSH makes annual trips to places such as Central America, Africa, and South America.
There are boxes for collection in the following spaces at the Church:
· South: in coat room
· Annex: Trading Post stairwell
· North: Rose Wing vestibule
Church members Charlie and Ann Jacob have collected eyeglasses and cases since 2014 at First Community; prior to that time, Ron Arledge oversaw collecting them at the Church. Over time, First Community has sent well over 1000 reader eyeglasses to Back Bay Mission.
In addition, the reader eyeglasses and sunglasses are also given out locally at the annual Good Neighbor Picnic.. The last local give-away was on September 24, 2022. Reader eyeglasses, and sunglasses will be given out at the Good Neighbor Picnic to be held on 9/23/2023. Many eyeglasses have been generously donated by First Community attendees in the past, and the readers and sunglasses are much appreciated by the homeless.
Charlie and Ann attended the event last September and volunteers gave out 130 readers, 30 sunglasses, and 100 glasses cases. They say that one of the most rewarding was fitting a 10 or 11 year-old boy. He had no intention of getting reader glasses. He slipped on a pair of glasses while his mother was trying different eyeglasses. They were not the correct strength for him; however, he tried a couple different strengths and soon realized that his vision could be improved. The look on his face was one of surprise. He had no idea how much more clearly the glasses would make him see.
If you would like more information about donating eyeglasses, First Community Church, and its other Mission programs, please email us at mission@fcchurch.com
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Mission of Music
A Reflection on Sally Beske
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“We are in a position, as musicians, to touch the souls of those who listen” Spencer W. Kimball
Typically, many people think about Missions at First Community as an activity, a project, or a fund-raising event. In reality, the church's Missions program is more expansive than that. It encompasses more than supporting individuals and programs needing monetary gifts and resources; there is also something less concrete and measurable. The church also provides enrichment and support in people's lives through its worship services, friendships, prayers, support, and music.
One of the people who fulfills this mission at our church is Sally Beske. Many know Sally through the music program at First Community, especially as Organist and Director of Youth Choirs. In addition, many of you have often enjoyed the Christmas musicals she writes, composes, and directs each year. During the COVID lockdown, she developed and led It's Choir Time! This 15 to 20-minute program was broadcast from the guest room of Sally's house—a program composed of songs, movement activities, and lessons about music. Even her husband Bryan was conscripted to take part as a puppet.
For many of us, she is a friend and an inspiration.
As most of you know, Sally has been ill for the past several weeks. She has had considerable pain and was recently placed in in-home hospice for metastatic liver disease. Consequently, she has now stepped down from the responsibilities of her church position. Even when Sally has difficult days, she tries to watch First Community's 11 am Sunday morning service.
Many of us have found deeper meaning in worship activities through her music, whether she is playing the organ; conducting the youth choirs (often music composed by her) and bell ringers; presenting the annual children's Christmas musicals; accompanying choirs, soloists, musicians; playing at weddings and funerals, etc.; and her obvious joy of doing all of these activities. Many of us have wondered at her accomplishments with the intricacies of the Klais organ at First Community North. She has grown into her own under the strong tutelage of Robert Griffith, who originally suggested her for the position at the church over 25 years ago.
For some of us, Sally has been a superhero. It is different from the superheroes we often talk about, such as those played by Chris Evans, Chris Pratt, and Chris Hemsworth. Sally, however, is a real one--looking out for others, supporting people around us who need it the most, standing as an example for our community for what we can become, and doing more than the average person would do. She is a superhero who makes a difference—and without a cape. With her music, she brings us together. She does all of this. As Jim Long has said, "Sally is the most Christian person I know and a blessing to many."
For her music, Sally has said in the past during the COVID lockdown, "Today, like most days, I practice the piano preparing for Sunday's service. I play the most difficult passages over and over, habituating the tiny muscle movements that go from finger to finger until they become automatic, without thought or struggle. One moment, I've got it! And then I go a little faster or become aware of almost anything else, and it falls apart. So, I practice some more, ferreting out any hesitations or errors. And then suddenly, there is a tipping point, a moment of transcendence when my mind and fingers know exactly what to do. The difficult passage is now something new, something light and beautiful and the struggle has ended. I live for those moments. I spend hours making sure those moments will hold up under the pressure of performance.
"Each day, sometimes in each moment, I practice the difficult passages of my life in this same way. I work to get better, ferreting out false beliefs and inappropriate conditioning. I strive to feel more grounded, more at ease. In this challenging time, (the media team)… doesn't have to be on a live camera to provide any added pressure. These days, simply showing up can be pressure enough. Things go astray. No matter how well practiced I am in acts of kindness, compassion, or tolerance, I misstep, I regress, I even fall apart. Yet again and again I go to a source more powerful than I am to draw me into a better state of equanimity, love and peace. Again and again, there is that moment of transcendence when I realize that I am forgiven, and all becomes new. Again and again, I am practicing, and so grateful to be in the safety of all of you who are practicing too"
If you wish, preferred communication with her can be made by clicking this link. If you want to have a more private conversation with her or her family, please contact Rev. Mary Kate Buchanan at the First Community Church Pastoral Care Office.
Sally continues to read all the wonderful and loving comments, tributes, and poetry, and Sally, being Sally, wants to be able to respond to everyone at Caring Bridge personally. She has started a new routine at night. She is reading the loving responses on Caring Bridge. Bryan says that they are reading and treasuring every single one of the messages (currently, over 100 comments), and they are of great comfort to Sally and her family.
Many of the comments are from parents of children she has worked with through the youth music program at the church. In fact, there may also be parents who participated in the program as children themselves. Sally has a long and rich, meaningful effect on the children and adults in the life of First Community.
Some comments read or heard include that Sally has unbridled joy, the wonder to relate to children of all generations, makes people feel welcome, has a great smile and warmth, always has a kind word, and a calming presence.
Words are not adequate for the loving presence of Sally.
When we think of Sally, we are reminded of Micah 6:8.
"He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God."
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Click the image above to see what's going on at the Trading Post | | |
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by Beth Hanson
TRADING POST VOLUNTEER TEAM
I’m happy to report that the Trading Post has continued to go gangbusters through the summer months. This is partially because we have lots of great summer bargains on bathing suits and cover-ups, beach towels, pool toys, sandals, beach-themed décor, summer-themed artwork and plenty of shorts and summer dresses. Also, we have people coming down to the shop who are here visiting family in Columbus. They have told us that they always make the Trading Post one of their stops before returning home.
Last week a man was visiting from North Carolina who purchased two Asian decorative figurines, a Mr. Rogers meditation candle, and some shorts. He proudly announced that he never tells any of his friends about the shop because he doesn’t want them to find out about our hidden gem of a store. (We hear this “boast” quite often.) One local college-aged kid brought his six college friends down who were from all over the country. They were traveling around the country visiting each friend’s family, and this young man brought his friends down to the shop for a fun activity. They were quite animated and had so much fun hunting for affordable clothes, posters, books and jewelry.
People ask us who typically shops at the Trading Post, but we really have no one “type” of customer. Some are low-income families (often immigrants) looking for clothing and household items, but we also have a good number of shoppers who are dealers who are looking for items to sell to make a living. We have an increasing number of people in their teens and 20’s who have made us a regular stop. Many customers just come in each day we are open because they tell us that coming to our shop gives them a morale boost. They love the bargains, but also love the cheery ambiance, the friendly volunteers, and the ‘60’s music that we play.
The internet has given us new customers who have Googled “thrift shops near me”. When they come down for that first visit, they are utterly delighted that they have discovered us. In the twelve months of 2022 we had 228 shoppers who were new to the store (19 per month), and in the first six months of 2023, we’ve already had 214 brand new shoppers (30 per month). The average number of shoppers on any given day back in 2022 was 36, but in 2023 that average has gone up to 39 per day. So our popularity is going up as time goes by, and it is so heartening to see the place continue to thrive. Shoppers and donors alike really love the idea that the enterprise is raising money for those in need at home and around the world, and that is an added incentive for them to be a loyal customer (or loyal donor). If you haven’t come down to see what the Trading Post is all about, we urge you to be our next “new” customer. If nothing else, just come down for some summer cheer.
We are located in the basement of the Annex Building at the back of the South Campus parking lot and are open Monday, Wednesday, Friday and the first Saturday of each month from 10-4:00. NOTE: We will be open on Saturday, August 5.
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by Shirley Barney
REFUGEE MINISTRY TEAM
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Wilondja Family updates:
- Family will move into their new place on 7/28.
- Les will borrow the church van to transport their things to the new apartment.
Other RMT Activities:
- Continued work on the RMT video. When complete, the video will be posted on the Refugee Ministry Team page of the FCC website
- Mary continues to support the family through ESL
- Les helps transport the family to medical appointments, etc.
- We continue to support other refugee families in need with donations, household items (bikes, baby supplies, dishes, TVs, etc.)
Help wanted:
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Volunteers - Are you interested in supporting these families or joining the RMT? Supporting resettling refugee families is extremely rewarding.
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If you are interested in volunteering or donating, please contact Shirley Barney
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Heart to Heart
Monthly Update
by Yohan Kim
HEART TO HEART FOOD PANTRY MANAGER
Heart to Heart has had a July full of vital work. As of this writing, the Drive-Thru served 272 families. 44 of those were new families! Our Pop-Up Pantry also conducted deliveries to several sites, serving over 128 families. Behind the scenes, a lot of training was completed. The staff did a new Feeding America Food Safety for Foodbanking training course, which is tailored to the work we do. The Heart to Heart Ministry Team also completed Mid-Ohio Food Collective Compliance Training, which is both fun and informative to do as a group.
July’s themed drive at First Community was Skin Care. The congregation donated a total of 181 lbs. of items like soap and lotion! The next drive will be the School Supply Drive in August. Backpacks filled with school supplies will be dropped at First Community North and South between August 1 and 13. Our goal is to collect 150 backpacks for the Pop-Up Pantry to deliver to children at Riverview International Center.
We also forged a new partnership with Franklinton Farms. Minister Aaron has begun weekly deliveries of an array of produce, which was clutch during a week in which we didn’t have volunteers for the Mid-Ohio Foodbank Shop-Thru. Our partnership with Our Lady of Victory also continues, with 203 lbs. of donations this month. God abides, and it’s through the helping hands across the community.
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Wednesday Evenings
As the school year comes to an end, our youth team heads to Camp Akita for the summer. Many of the students have camps, vacations, and other activities over the summer as well, so they can't volunteer regularly. This means our Wednesday evening volunteer shift is now available for anyone to volunteer, starting this week! During this shift, volunteers fill empty dry goods boxes, stock food and other items, and prepare the next day’s Drive-Thru.
Sign up for Wednesday Evenings
Order Unloading
About twice a month, Heart to Heart orders a truckload of dry goods from Mid-Ohio Food Collective. Once the truck delivery is complete, volunteers are needed to unpack, sort, and stock the items. This is an afternoon volunteer shift and requires a bit of heavy lifting. Our next truck comes June 12, and we are still looking for about 8 helpers.
Sign up for June 12 Order Unloading
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Darkness to Light
Sexual Abuse Prevention
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In The Garden
Updates from the Share and Learn Gardens
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The Share and Learn Garden at First Community North sits on the property behind the Mary Evans Child Development Center. All the produce grown in the garden comes directly to Heart to Heart. The garden is managed and harvested by a small but mighty and fun group of volunteers. Master Gardeners Cheryl and Loren VanDeusen, and their daughter, Kate Paulson, are the group's leaders. The group convenes on Tuesday mornings, weather permitting. We receive weekly updates from Kate Paulson during the growing season, including these excerpts below. | | |
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July 25, 2023
Hi all,
Last week was a small group, and we accomplished the following:
- harvested remainder of garlic
- harvested peppers, collard greens, tomatoes and even a few cucumbers!
I made additional hills for the summer squash (where the garlic had been) and planted additional squash. I secured cages around the squash that are up. Squash should be ready in September.
This week we need to:
- weed!
- harvest tomatoes, peppers, collards, cucumbers
It will be warm…so bring a cup for water!
See you Tuesday!
Kate
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July 18, 2023
Hi gardeners!
We are set to work this Tuesday, 7/18 at 9am.
This week we will harvest:
- remainder of garlic
- collard greens
- peppers
- tomatoes
Additional summer squash will be planted in the garlic bed. The garlic should be ready in September as the squash says “ready” in 50 days.
The current batch of garlic is drying away in my garage. Next week will be 2 weeks of drying time, and will be ready for heart to heart clients.
Hope everyone is staying cool.
Thanks
Kate Paulson
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July 11, 2023
Hi all!
We will be at it again on Tuesday, July 11 @ 9am. The weather will be warm again, so I will bring water - if you have a water bottle, bring to fill up. I will also bring some solo cups.
This past week, I planted several
Summer squash plants (where the first round of garlic was harvested). I also put in some morning glory seeds amongst the peas to grow up the archways.
This session will include:
- harvest additional garlic
- harvest peppers and collard greens
- put in trellises for the summer squash
- mow grass and trim between raised beds
- seed kids’ bed with pumpkins
- weeding (always!)
Thanks
Kate Paulson
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July 1, 2023
Hi fellow gardeners & friends,
Firstly, thank you so much for last week’s massive weeding endeavor! It is an ongoing process, but the crops appreciate it and it looks so much better as well. Thank you to Marcy for tending the roses. They look great!
Other accomplishments included harvesting 16 pounds of garlic. Don’t worry…there are 7 sections of the garlic bed to harvest yet; I anticipate around 130 pounds of garlic once it has all been harvested!
I also picked the snap peas that were ready…it provided a nice afternoon snack for the daycare kids. 😌
Thanks to Dave for spotting the aphids on the tomato plants. It seems neem oil is the organic way to treat the critters.
No garden this this week as it is holiday, and the plants continue to grow. Look forward to harvesting more garlic and collards (maybe tomatoes…) on July 11.
Enjoy pics of the hanging system (my husband thought of and put up for me ❤️) for drying the large amount of garlic to come. Right now it is on drying racks 😂
Enjoy your holiday!
Kate
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