The Lanark United Methodist Church Mission Committee is co-chaired by Beverly Gruhn and Pamela Raab. There are 5 committee members: Becky Erbsen, Elaine Gallentine, Carla Grisham, Marion McWorthy and Mendy Walrath, who help plan and serve our meals, which are usually held right after the worship service on Sunday morning. The husbands and many times the children of these members also help when we serve meals. Other church members sometimes volunteer to help, also, and we never turn down extra help! The food is mostly all donated from our church members.
We serve at least four mission meals each year, starting with a "Souper-Bowl" meal on Super Bowl Sunday, where we serve 2 different kinds of soups (usually chili and chicken noodle soup), sandwiches and desserts. The money raised goes to various local charities, such as, the Carroll County Haiti Mission Project, Shannon/Lanark Food Pantry, Riverview Center, Carroll County Casa, NW IL Hospice or the Hillclimber Scholarship fund.
In April, we serve what we call a "Camp Meal" to raise funds for local kids to go to Summer Camp, Vacation Bible School or Mission Trips. We have served a traditional camp meal, like barbque, hotdogs, chips, bar cookies and ice cream, but this year we changed it to a baked potato bar with baked potatoes with all the fixings, fruit salad and bar cookies, which went over very well.
In June, we serve what's called a "Celebration Brunch". Summer church time changes to 9:30, so that's why it is a brunch. We serve egg casseroles with various meats or veggies, homemade cinnamon rolls, muffins and donuts. We do not ask for donations for this meal, since we are honoring the graduates and their families from our church.
The first Sunday in September is called "Rally Sunday", when our church time goes back to 10:15 and Sunday School starts again at 9:00. We serve a meal after church, like tacos or burgers and brats and desserts. The money raised has gone to such charities as: Mark Lower, to ship books to Peru; Pitter-Patter Pantry; Redbird Mission; Carroll County Senior Center; and the Frakes, KY mission trip, where members of our church have gone several times to help repair homes for the people who live there. Our church even helped build a house for a family there two years ago!
In the past, we have also done some extra fun things, like Ice Cream Socials; a "Fat Tuesday Celebration", with New Orleans style food, music, games and crafts; and "Trunk-or-Treat", where church members give out candy and treats to trick-or-treaters outside the church from the trunks of their cars. We also get names from the "Giving Tree" and donate Christmas gifts to needy area families and children. We plan on raising lots more money for Missions in 2012 and we welcome new members and their ideas for Mission Work.
