Edina Morningside Community Church (UCC) is a small church with around 200 members. We have a very committed congregation to our outreach programs. One of our favorites is the support of Daylight Center and School and the children.
Here are a few ways we have found helpful to get our congregation more connected to Daylight.
#1 Invite a Daylight Representative to Speak to Your Church
We have been supporting Daylight ever since Michael Kimpur and Nathan Roberts visited our congregation to introduce us to Daylight in January of 2011. Since that time we have participated in many projects to provide needed items for Daylight.
Since then we have sponsored collections for blankets, textbooks, bedding packages for one of the new dormitories, goats (which became 1 cow and 3 goats at Michel’s request) and sponsorship of a Daylight child.
#2 Plan a Fundraiser for Daylight
Edina Morningside has individual supporters that give to Daylight monthly towards our general fund, helping to provide food for the students and teacher salaries that are so important to making it all possible. In addition to this the congregation undertakes special projects to meet specific needs at Daylight. The church likes to see how we are doing to reach our goals so I make a tally poster for each project which is posted in the narthex, report how we are doing during announcements and in the monthly newsletter. Here are some examples.
Blankets for one of the dormitories:
As we collected funds for each blanket a square was filled in with a picture of a square of the blanket material until the entire poster was filled. I find that it is always important to let the congregation know the final tally and thank them for their participation.
Textbooks for the Daylight School:
Rachel Arneson was kind enough to provide us with copies of the textbook covers so we would know what they looked like. Each books cost $6.00 and, as the funds came in, I filled in a square to represent a book sold.
This is an example of a “thank you” to the congregation that appeared in the monthly newsletter.
MANY THANKS TO ALL WHO DONATED TO BUY TEXTBOOKS FOR THE CHILDREN AT DAYLIGHT CENTER AND SCHOOL!
Through your generosity we collected enough money to purchase 120 books! That is wonderful! Please check out the pictures of the covers of some of the textbooks that the Daylight School children use. They are posted around the “tally board” in the narthex. Again, thank you! Asante!
Bedding Packages for the new dormitory:
Each bedding package consisting of a blanket, sheet, pillow and mattress, cost $40.00. As the funds came in I posted a “bedding package” on the poster.
You’ve Done It Again! Thank You! Through your generosity, 38 Daylight students will be cozy and comfortable in their new bunk beds in the new dormitory. Our Congregation donated funds to purchase 38 bedding packages! Thank you so much! Please continue to keep the people of Kenya, the staff and children at Daylight and the dedicated people who support Daylight in your prayers.
Blessings!
Pam DeLaittre
#3 Monthly Daylight Articles in the Newsletter and on Social Media:
Besides these funding projects, I capture information and photos from the “One Minute Updates” and prepare an article about Daylight for our monthly newsletter – The Messenger. This keeps information about Daylight in front of the congregation and requests that we continue to pray for Daylight. The Daylight article is posted on the bulletin board in the Narthex each month.
You can also share the One Minute Updates from Daylight’s Facebook Page on your church social media.
I hope some of this information will be helpful in encouraging your congregation to support Daylight. I’d love to hear what you are doing for Daylight.
If you are interested in becoming a congregational liaison between Daylight and your community please email info@daylightcenter.org.
Edina Morningside UCC Congregational Liaison
Pam DeLaittre
