Why do Interdepence Day? [Thoughts from Pastor Bill Calvin]
A few years ago I was struck by a haunting question: “If your church were to disappear would anyonein your community care?” One of my goals is to see Bloomingdale Church become so valuable to our community that if we were to disappear, people who don’t attend our church would say, “Oh no. What a loss. We need that church. I will miss them.”
Since food pantries run out of food during the summer months but people still need to eat, why not have a huge food drive to supply the food pantries in our community? Why not ask every home-dweller in Bloomingdale to help us stock five food pantries in our area? Why not ask the residents ofBloomingdale if they would even help us collect the food? Since we are already outside, why not hold abrief church service in the park instead of in the church building? Why not sing songs that we all know like “America” and “The Star Spangled Banner?” Why not have a brief message from a Christian soldier who has served four tours of duty in Iraq? Why not have a picnic after the service? Why not put together some great games for children? Why not make this day a lot of fun?
This is how Interdependence Day, came to be.
On July 3, 2011 our church is going to conduct a food drive reaching out to all the single unit and townhomes in Bloomingdale. Our aim is to collect at least 600 bags of food for the following foodpantries: Bloomingdale Township, St. Paul’s Evangelical UCC Church, Faith and Family Church, St.Idadore’s Catholic Church, and Bloomingdale Church. In order to successfully carry out this food drive we are recruiting 12 food drive captains who will be responsible for areas totaling 500 homes. Ifyou are willing to be a food drive captain please let Dave L by no later than Sunday, June 12 (630-669-4463/dallorenznet@netscape.net). Below is the job description:
+Recruit a minimum of ten people to help you.
+Staple Food Drive fliers to the 500 bags you will distribute.
+Your team will place bags in the doors in your 500 homes between June 26 – June 30.
+Your team will collect food bags between 9:00 AM and 10:30 AM on July 3.
+Take food to the food pantry(ies) assigned to you between 10:30-11:30 AM.
+Have someone taking pictures throughout the bag distribution, collection, and trip to food pantry.
+Come to the 11:30 AM service at Westfield Park to tell everyone how your group did.
+Enjoy the 30 minute service and stay for the picnic!