November 2006 Newsletter
A WORD FORM OUR PASTOR
Dear members and friends of Zion,
October was a month that saw Zion hitting on all cylinders. The Craft Show was a huge success. The renovation of our new Sound System is nearing completion. Our Communion Is for Kids class has been well attended, adding to great attendance at worship, and Sunday School, too. The Healthy Membership course, our combined adult class meeting in Luther Hall, has been outstanding, and all phases of fundraising - for the sound system, for our food & clothing ministries, for the Youth of Zion, and daily operations at Zion - have been deeply gratifying and very encouraging. October has been a great month, and our focus on becoming a healthier and stronger congregation is helping us to do just that. Capping off this productive month, and this productive year, was a great Congregational Meeting on October 25, when we took a look at the 2007 Proposed Budget Guidelines, and quickly said YES to its vision and its challenges.
The third annual edition of our Youth Missions Craft Show turned out to be the best one yet. We were never very sure about how we would do, what with new leadership at the helm, sort of, and direct competition from the Northwood Elementary Craft Show; but both of these factors worked to our benefit, as we involved more youth and members, and picked up a good number of shoppers from Hoover High. We sold more take-out German dinners, benefited once again from our Gift Baskets, and saw some great results from the bake sale, our concession stand, and our youth craft tables. All in all, we raised more than $4,000 for the Youth of Zion. With a tithe of these earning going to Help New Orleans Heal, Part 2, we now stand at $4,634 in our commitment to Zion's Food Pantry & Clothing Closet at home and Operation Blessing in New Orleans! In a little-noticed development, we also made great strides in reaching our goal in raising funds for the new sound system. As I said, we seem to be hitting on all cylinders.
We have some challenges in front of us as we head into the home stretch of 2006. Our Operating Budget has some ground to make up, as in a $3,500 year-to-date deficit. This is substantial, but certainly within our reach. We'll need a generous couple of months with November and December to make our year a solid success on all fronts. I know that there are many charitable organizations out in force asking for your help. We hope that Zion will be first on your list as a community that is leading the way in doing God's work. We are, after all, a laboratory for kingdom, where the L, A, B stand for Leadership, Activities, and the Building. We've made progress in improving all areas. Your support has made this possible. Your support of Council's leadership, your presence at worship, your participation in Sunday School, your contribution to the camaraderie we enjoy, and your commitment to raising the funds we need to pursue these goals: these have been the reason for the success we've enjoyed and the progress we've made. In truth, we're just beginning to feel the good effects of your enduring support.
Please help us enjoy the success of a strong finish to a very good year, making a good year great. We've cleared the deck for all of us to focus on the challenge of turning the corner on our Operating Budget, increasing our income to meet and surpass the challenges posed by our monthly expenses. It's been a while since we've used an end-of-the-year push to call for some timely generosity. It's all for a good cause, the cause of the kingdom and the work of the church.
In His service, and yours,
Pastor Sherwindt
CONGREGATIONAL MEETING
How can we summarize our Congregational Meeting on Wednesday, October 25. The food was delicious. The fellowship was great. The meeting was brief and to the point. We spent a moment or two examining the 2007 Proposed Budget Guidelines, and passed it without comment, question, or objection. Brian Walters updated the congregation on plans to finish this year's renovation of the new sound system. Larry Moore offered some Thanksgiving thoughts about Zion's Food Pantry - actually, these were Shirley Cavender's thoughts, which we have included in this newsletter on page 11.
While the Congregational Meeting laid out the details of our 2007 budget clearly and cleanly, trying to understand the details of our 2006 budget is a bit more complicated. September's expenses exceeded income by $634. Year-to-date, through September our Operating Budget Deficit stands at $4,522. Our hope is to whittle this deficit down to around $3,500 through October, which looks to be on target. Year-to-date income is well ahead of last year, especially if you add the special collections for the sound system and our various benevolence drives. Still, we've got our work cut out for us.
CHURCH COUNCIL NEWS
Steve Ross indicated that we are heading down the home stretch in terms of finishing up Zion's new pictorial directory. With any luck, we'll be distributing these directories on Sunday, November 19.
Bob Lancashire reported that our volleyball court will continue to host North Canton churches through Sunday, November 19. Faith and Grace United Methodist, along with Zions Lutheran and UCC are playing weekly.
Carol Rossbach introduced a job description for our Nursery Attendant, which was written by the Worship Ministry, to be reviewed by Mutual Ministry and approved by Council.
Sharon Stout shared the worship schedule for November and December. We are invited to join the North Canton Ministerial Associa-tion for an ecumenical Thanksgiving Eve Service at St. Paul's Catholic Church. Advent begins Sunday, December 3, with our first Sunday Evening Advent Service scheduled to begin with dinner at 5:30 p.m. at St. Paul's Catholic Church. Pr. Sherwindt and Fr. Clark will talk about the Lutheran and Roman Catholic Covenant. Zion's Praise Team and Choir will join with St. Paul's Music Team for our service of evening prayer and song. On December 10, we'll have a Lessons & Carols service here at Zion, with the Chancel Guild hosting dinner. On December 17, we'll have a Youth Service with Christmons as our theme, and the Men of Zion hosting dinner. On the evening of December 24, we'll have three Christmas Eve services. (Read more about these Christmas Eve services in the article by Suzanne Walters on the next page.)
Attendance was again almost perfect: Laura Thompson, Carol Rossbach, Jayne Schrader, Dave Palumbo, Renee Schrader, Cindy Ferry, Sharon Stout, Mary Humbert, Steve Ross, Bob Lancashire, and Pastor Sherwindt.
AND NOW, A WORD FROM OUR MUSIC DIRECTOR - SUZANNE WALTERS
My favorite part of the calendar year is now upon us, the holiday season. Coincidentally, it also happens to be my favorite time of the church year. What an inspiring time for lovely music, moving worship services, children's voices in song, adults singing traditional carols for Advent and Christmas, and ecumenical services with our North Canton neighbors.
It seems to be the busiest time of the year, and this holds true for the music activities at Zion.
The children are preparing for three things at once: (1) a beautiful anthem for November 19th, adding another layer of excited anticipation for the dedication of the new sound system; (2) the children's annual Christmas musical, this year entitled On Our Way to Bethlehem; and (3) our carol anthem for the 6:00 p.m. Christmas Eve service.
The Senior Choir is handling this year's more rigorous schedule very well. They have offered some impressive anthems at the 8:00 a.m. services since mid-September, and will continue to do so three Sundays each month. Many choir members will take part in the Thanksgiving Eve Ecumenical Service on November 22nd at St. Paul's Catholic Church by participating in the community choir. What a fabulous way to share fellowship with our neighbors - to praise and thank God for His blessings in an assembly of friends here in our North Canton community!
The Praise Team as a group is eagerly awaiting the completion of the new sound system since big changes are in store for the ways we are accustomed to setting up and using equipment each week. We'll be eliminating some of the more awkward elements, such as microphone stands and cords, which will improve the logistics of moving about during the services. The prospect of having the sound controlled by a team of trained listeners is exciting to us because of our constant concern with proper balance between voices and instruments, while dealing with the less than perfect present set-up. November 19th is a big day for Zion, and Zion's Praise Team members are enthusiastically looking forward to it!
Please watch the worship calendar closely in November and December. You will appreciate the many and varied services that will be coming your way during the next two months, throughout the seasons of Thanksgiving, Advent, and Christmas. In addition to our big day of November 19th and the Thanksgiving Eve Service on November 22nd we will also continue our traditions of evening Advent services, while also offering three evening Christmas Eve services.
The musical elements of the Christmas Eve services will be a bit different this year, with none of the services being a repeat of another. You may want to attend all three just to experience the difference! Our 6:00 p.m. service will be a family-friendly service. Our children's choir will sing an anthem, and the service will be accompanied by piano. Last year, Brian Walters offered some artwork to go with the children's story. The 8:00 p.m. service will be the most traditional of the evening, with the leadership of the choir and the organ. It begins with a half hour of choral music and congregational singing. The 10:30 p.m. service will be a praise group-led carol service, a new approach this year. We know you'll like it. Bring your family, invite your friends, and open your hearts to the sounds, and the miracles, of the seasons ahead of us.
Great News from Zion's Sunday School
UPCOMING EVENTS - MARK YOUR CALENDARS!
Sunday, November 5: Children's Christmas Program Practice begins during Sunday School
Sunday, November 5: Communion Class Certificates are given during 10:30 a.m. Service
Sunday, November 19: Zion's Children's Choir will sing at 10:30 a.m. Service
Sunday, November 19: Youth Thanksgiving Service Event in Luther & Memorial Halls
Sunday, December 17: Our Annual Children's Christmas Program at the 10:30 a.m. Service
Sunday, December 17: Our Christmons/Youth Service at the Sunday Evening Advent Service
Sunday, December 24: Our Children's Choir sings at the 6:00 p.m. Christmas Eve Service
SUNDAY SCHOOL: PRE-KINDERGARTEN THROUGH THE SIXTH GRADE
The month of November will be dedicated to our Children's Christmas Program and our service projects for Thanksgiving. On Sunday, November 5, the children will begin practicing for this year's Christmas program. This year's program is called We're on Our Way to Bethlehem. This is a beautiful musical that tells the story of Christ's birth. There are plenty of speaking roles for all who are interested. We also have roles for those who don't want a speaking role. The children will meet in the choir room at 9:10 a.m. to work on the music, and then we'll practice their parts and staging. We will do this each Sunday during Sunday School for the entire month of November. This is a great time of the year for Zion's Sunday School children. The kids have a lot of fun learning the true meaning of Christmas. Mark your calendars now: our Children's Christmas Program will be performed at the 10:30 a.m. service on Sunday, December 17.
We will also be working on our Thanksgiving service project during Sunday School. The kids will be working on a project with Zion's Food Pantry. They will be making specially decorated Thanksgiving Bags for the Food Pantry to deliver holiday meals in. We will have a special youth event on Sunday, November 19, after the 10:30 a.m. service to fill these bags for our pantry families. We will start with lunch and then get to work. We should be finished between 1:30 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. This event is for all of Zion's Youth, Pre-K thru High School.
ZION'S CHILDREN'S CHOIR CONTINUES
We truly enjoyed hearing our Children's Choir on Sunday, October 15, during the 10:30 a.m. service. They sang beautifully! Thank you to Suzanne Walters for all of her hard work! As a reminder, the children's choir meets from 9:10 - 9:30 a.m. each Sunday. During November and December the children will also be working on the music for this year's Christmas Program.
Sunday, November 12, at the 10:30 a.m. Service
Sunday, December 24, at the 6:00 p.m. Christmas Eve Service
Sunday, January 28, at the 10:30 a.m. Service
Sunday, February 25, at the 10:30 a.m. Service
Sunday, May 13 (Mother's Day), at the 10:30 a.m. Service
Sunday, June 10 (Father's Day), at the 10:30 a.m. Service
ZION'S ANNUAL "COMMUNION IS FOR KIDS" CLASS
This year's Comunion Class has enjoyed great attendanc! Our children were eager to learn about celebrating the gifts of God's grace that are shared with the bread and the wine of Holy Communion. Chuck Danner taught Grades 1 thru 6, while Debbie Fox worked with our Pre-K children. The children will receive Certificates of Completion on Sunday, November 5, during the 10:30 service.
HALLOWEEN PARTY AT ZION
The Halloween Party was a lot of fun this year! We had a great turnout, and the children looked awesome in their costumes - there was such a great variety. A big thank you to everyone who helped make the party such a great success - especially the party volunteers: Tina Beaber, Connie & Melissa Riffle, Carol Rossbach, Cheryl Roman, Darlene Dague, Sharon Stout, and Suzanne Walters! We would also like to thank everyone who donated items for the party! We truly appreciate everyone's time and donations. Without everyone's help, we couldn't have such terrific events for our children!
Thank you, too, to Zion's older youth and their leaders for putting together a great kid-friendly Halloween Fun House for the kids. We really appreciate the effort and time they devoted to our younger youth. The kids really enjoyed themselves, and many went through more than once! We would also like to thank our youth leaders - Steve & Linda Ross, Mary Humbert and Karen Kirk - for your help in getting the fun house ready. This was a great event for all our youth!
ACME RECEIPTS (AND THIS YEAR'S NEW RULES)
We are once again collecting Acme Receipts to help raise funds for the youth. This year we will receive cash-back credit for receipts dated September 17, 2006 through April 7, 2007. There will be collection cans in Memorial Hall by the coffee on Sunday mornings and by the Church Office. Please save your receipts and help us raise money for our youth! For your information, Acme changed part of the formula for their cash back program.
In past years, we have received 1% of all purchases. This year we will receive 5%, but only when you purchase Acme Freshmarket brands, along with Food Club, Dining In, TopCare, Paws Premium, Top Crest, ValuTime, and Domestix. These are the only brands that count for the cash back. When you look at the bottom of your tape, it will tell you how much cash back you have. Yeah, we know, it's kind of complicated; but thank you in advance for your support.
YOUTH NEWS IN THE MAKING FOR THANKSGIVING AND ADVENT
We've had a lot on the agenda with the Youth Missions Craft Show, but as we move toward the holiday season, we are planning more activities for Zion's Youth. We have our Thanksgiving Service Project on November 19, and the Giving Tree during Advent. We will also have some fun activities on the calendar as well. We will keep you informed as details become available.
FALL "OKTOBERFEST" YOUTH MISSIONS CRAFT SHOW NEWS
Fall "Oktoberfest" Youth Missions Craft Show News
Thank you to all of the youth for their help and hard work for our third edition of the Youth Missions Craft Show. This year's show was once again a great success! We raised $960 through renting Craft Tables. We raised another $154.80 through the Bake Sale. We raised $2,006.75 selling our German dinners, and another $193.25 at the Concession Stand. The Raffle Baskets created by the Sunday School classes were also a big hit once again, raising an additional $700, along with the rest of the crafts sold at our youth tables. Thank you to our teachers, to the youth and their parents for their donations, and to Connie Frank for putting the baskets together!
Our Raffle Basket winners were announced at the end of our Congregational Meeting on October 25: Our Family Game Night Basket (which was created and designed by our 3 & 4 year-old and 5 year-old classes) went to Betty Boettler. The I Scream, You Scream We All Scream for Ice Cream Basket (created and designed by our 2nd & 3rd Grade class) went to Susan Martin. The Fun for the Holidays Basket (put together by our 4th Grade class) went to Todd Cizek. The Chocolate & Candy Lovers Basket (put together by our 5th & 6th Grade class) went once again to Emily Lewis. The Ultimate Ohio State Fan Basket (put together by the Catechism class) went to Wayne & Janet Slease. The Movie Night Basket (creatively designed by our High School class) went to Tina & Lorin Beaber.
Thank you to the youth and the youth leaders for making great items for the Youth Craft Table. The candles and drink mixes are selling well, and the chocolate-covered pretzels were a huge hit. We really appreciate all of the hard work that went into preparing for the craft show. A special thanks to Mary Humbert, Linda Ross, Karen Kirk, Suzanne Waters, Beth Heller, and Cindy Young for leading our youth in making these great items. There are still candles and drink mixes available for sale in Luther Hall. The drink mixes include Gourmet Hot Chocolate, Cappuccino, French Vanilla Cappuccino, Chai Tea and Friendship Tea. We would also like to thank the members of the congregation who donated items to sell to help raise funds for the youth during the craft show.
Once again, donating our German Take-out Dinners proved a great benefit for the Youth of Zion, as well as the many persons who received some delicious food as a result of your generosity. Our thanks to our youth and their parents for selling and donating a record number of dinner tickets: Corey Beaber, Todd Cizek, Becca Coulter, Ethan Frock, Christian Heller, Laura Kay, McKenzie Kirk, Tommy Lewis, Max Reffel, Brooke and Taylor Roman, Matt and Nicole Ross, Jon Votaw, Kelly Walters, and Chase Weinman. When all the tickets were gathered up and all the dinners packed and delivered, we sold close to 360 dinners. Our thanks, of course, to a great kitchen crew, which included Dale Jacobs, Mark Votaw, Dave Palumbo, Gregg Evanoff, Marilyn Espe-Sherwindt, Chuck Danner and Sue Everhart.
The Youth Missions Craft Show was a huge success - for the Youth of Zion, for our many crafters, for the Food Pantry & Clothing Closet, for Operation Blessing, for our many diners, and so many more. As always, thank you all for your amazing support of Zion's Youth.
YOUTH SPOTLIGHT
A LETTER OF THANKS
Dear Friends,
Thank you for giving the Heller Family your care, concern, and love these past many months. Chuck put up a courageous valiant battle against this disease, cancer. He and all of us couldn't have managed without your support.
Whether you said a quiet prayer, wrote a note, sent a card, brought food, called on the phone, visited at home, attended the Memorial Service, or sent a contribution, our family expresses our appreciation for your thoughtfulness.
When Chuck was undergoing the last of his treatments we discovered the following anonymous writing in the radiation waiting room, What Cancer Cannot Do. It contained much truth and offered great counsel.
Cancer is so limited . . .
It cannot cripple LOVE
It cannot shatter HOPE
It cannot corrode FAITH
It cannot destroy PEACE
It cannot kill FRIENDSHIP
It cannot suppress MEMORIES
It cannot silence COURAGE
It cannot invade the SOUL
It cannot steal ETERNAL LIFE
It cannot conquer the SPIRIT
These words sustained us as did all of you.
Thank you and God bless you.
The Charles Heller Family
For all the saints, who from their labors rest,
All who by faith before the world confessed,
Your Name, O Jesus, be forever blessed . . .
You were their rock, their fortress, and their might; You, Lord, their captain in the well-fought fight; You, in the darkness, their one true light. Alleluia! Alleluia! [LBW, #174]
MORE THANKS TO ZION
Members of Zion Lutheran Church,
On behalf of the St. Luke Lutheran Commu-nity, we would like to thank you for your gracious generosity in donating your regular quarterly gift of $600.00 to the St. Luke Foundation. Your continuous Christian caring, through your regular quarterly giving, helps the Foundation keep its promise "to provide care to senior adults in a Christian environment where residents can live in comfort and dignity." It is because of friends like all of you that we are able to provide quality care and assistance to our seniors.
Thank you again for your ongoing support of our ministries for senior adults. May God continue to bestow His many blessings upon you just as you have consistently blessed the residents you've helped here at St. Luke.
Your sharing has helped us fulfill God's call to serve. We truly do thank you for your help and caring.
Kenneth C. Sippola
Director of Development
Pastor Luther Lautenschlager
Executive Director
AND NOW, SOME THANKS FROM ZION
To the Hoover Company, who, through the helpful-ness of Susan Heyard, has been generous in providing us with the colorful paper we use for our newsletter covers, calendar pages and bulletin inserts on Sundays. We now have enough 11" x 17" to last a long time, perhaps to the Second Coming, thanks to our friends at the Hoover Company, who have also been helpful in providing the Chancel Guild with a much-needed vacuum cleaner to help with their cleaning responsibilities. We extend our heartfelt thanks to Sue, and to North Canton's longtime benefactor, the Hoover Company
A MEN OF ZION PROGRAM
The Men of Zion invite all of Zion to mark your calendars for a very special meeting, Wednesday, November 1, which begins for the men with a meal at 6:00 p.m., but then continues at 7:00 p.m. with an opportunity for all to meet Dr. Lester Mohler, brother of our own Stella Smiley, a man known throughout the world as a dedicated humanitarian.
Lester R. Mohler, M.D., a 1960 graduate of Capital University in Columbus, is a plastic and reconstructive surgeon who is recognized internationally for his contributions in the care and repair of children born with the deformity of cleft lip and palate. Dr. Mohler completed his medical education at The Ohio State University in 1964, and served intern-ships and residencies in Santa Barbara, CA, Columbus, OH, and Pittsburgh, PA.
In addition, having graduated from North Canton High School in 1953, Dr. Mohler was inducted into the North Canton Alumni Association Hall of Distinction on September 29, 2004; and in 2003, he was a Stark County Wall of Fame Inductee. In recognition of his dedication to his profession and to helping those less fortunate, Capital University conferred upon him the degree of Doctor of Humanities, honoris causa, at their May 14, 2000 commencement.
All members of the congregation are invited
to join us for the program, which begins at
7:00 p.m. Please invite your friends and neighbors. You'll be glad you did, and they
will be, too. Chuck Danner is in charge of making sure that all of our video and audio equipment is cued and ready, and the Men of Zion have some great refreshments planned.
So, join us for Dr. Lester Mohler, a world-renown humanitarian, here at Zion on Wed-nesday evening, November 1, at 7:00 p.m.
THE WOMEN OF ZION
The monthly Bible study for the Women of Zion meets on the third Tuesday in Luther Hall at 9:30 a.m. We continue our focus on Suffering in Life and Hope in God. God created a world that is in the process of becoming. It isn't done yet, and neither are we. The world can be a risky place; but we live and we learn and we grow. Join us on November 21 in Luther Hall at 9:30 a.m.
Blanket Sunday on October 8 resulted in some fabulous results in our collection of blankets, comforters, school kits, and health kits. All totaled, we gathered together over 92 comforter, quilts, and blankets, 56 school kits and 56 health kits. These items found their way into 44 boxes weighing 804 pounds. These boxes were driven by Verle Elsass to Jerusalem Lutheran Church in Seville, where they will be joined with the effort of others in our Synod and sent all over the world through Lutheran World Relief.
Zion's Chancel Guild will meet on Tuesday, November 14, at 6:30 p.m., in the Rockynol Room for our regular business meeting.
OCTOBER SENIOR BIRTHDAYS
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Happy Birthday to:
| Beulah Swinehart*** |
November 7 |
| Elsie Earles |
November 22 |
| Ruth Elsass |
November 27 |
| Nick Lanzalotta |
November 28 |
***Beulah Swinehart turns 100 years old!
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OCTOBER ANNIVERSARIES
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Happy Anniversary to:
| Jim & Elaine Fidler |
November 11 |
| Ellis & Anna Mae LeBeau |
November 18 |
| Rich & Karen Kolarik |
November 21 |
| Mike & Carol Wasara |
November 25 |
| Nick & Cora Lanzalotta |
November 25 |
| Randy & Terri Cizek |
November 26 |
| Bill & Joy Bentont |
November 27 |
THANKSGIVING AND ZION'S FOOD PANTRY
Compassion is what you feel in the deepest core of your heart. Passion is the action that compassion can develop into. Do you have compassions that have turned into your passions? As the person who loves to work with our Food Pantry, I have! As many know, I have compassion for persons with mental retardation, and I have turned this into a passion by volunteering as an assistant coach for the Special Olympics skilled basketball team. I have compassion for persons affected with mental illness, and again, I have turned this into a passion for advocating for greater awareness about various neurological disorders that affect persons whom we know and love.
Another of my compassions, which has become a passion is my passion for food. It is my hope, shared by many here at Zion, that one day no one will go to bed hungry or homeless. This compassion for the hungry and the homeless is rooted in the life and love of Jesus. It is what draws many of us to the church, and to Zion Lutheran Church in particular. Zion is one of 27 food pantries in Stark County. We are a member of a broader umbrella organization called the Stark County Hunger Task Force. After 9-11, our church was and is still declared an emergency food and shelter site, should anything go awry, be it a weather disaster or a national emergency.
We are not just a food pantry that is open for service on the first and third Tuesday of every month. Our special status invites us to be ready at all times to respond to emergencies should they arise. It may not seem like a national emergency today, but the truth is that Stark County is experiencing some tough times. The local economy is down. Unemployment is increasing. This means that the number of clients we serve is increasing, and that means we need to have our shelves stocked and our freezers full. We're not there right now. We can provide our clients with basic sustenance, but we don't have enough food to provide all the extras that make for a full and complete meal.
We purchase all of our food through the Akron-Canton Regional Food Bank. Their prices are up due to rising expenses. The USDA and federal donations are way down, and supplemental funding for food pantries generally has diminished. We are thankful for the ongoing support and generosity that comes from our congregational family at Zion. Your attention and the attention of other area congregations in North Canton to our Food of the Month help a great deal. Your regular contributions directed to the Food Pantry help a great deal. Your support of the Food Pantry through those donations to Help New Orleans Heal will help us keep our shelves stocked and our freezers full.
Once again it is holiday time, and the Food Pantry Crew are collecting turkeys and all the fixings, such as stuffing, potatoes, cranberries, veggies, rolls, and those awesome pies so many donate. We will be providing Thanksgiving fixings for our pantry families and for residents of Siffrin group homes. We need your help, especially as we look out at the needs we're facing this year. Will you give a 12-pound turkey? Would you rather donate money? We've made connections with a local group who will bake 50 pumpkin pies for us, but we'll still need 25 more pumpkin pies. Please help in any way you can. And don't forget to pray, both for the Pantry Crew, and especially for the families we serve.
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