April Mission Outreach Team Meeting

The Mission Outreach Team met on Monday April 09, 2018.   The meeting began with a summary of the MOC activities for the months of February and March.

February

A Hoops for Hope Family Promise fund raiser was held at the Palmerton High School. Zion members donated three baskets and a gift card for the raffle.

March

1. Daffodils, purchased to support the American Cancer Society, were delivered to Zion shut-ins. The feed back from the shut-in members was that of gratitude and appreciation for the visit and the flowers.

2. One team from Zion participated in the Bowl for Kid’s Sake on Saturday March 24^th at Fritz’s Bowling Alley. All the proceeds from this event support the Big Brothers/Big Sisters program. This program provides adult mentors for children. When children and teens have the influence of a caring adult, they are more likely to avoid risky behaviors and to focus on academics. Today's youth face a variety of challenges and being matched with a Big Brother or Big Sister can help them navigate these challenges and reach their potential. Through your generous donations in the green envelopes, Zion was able to give the organization $500.

3. MOC team members helped to serve the March community meal.

The next special fund raiser is the One Great Hour of Sharing campaign which will take place on May 6^th. Collection boxes will be distributed to the Sunday School children with a flyer explaining the campaign on April 15^th. The deadline for returning the collection boxes to Zion is May 6^th.

Ideas for upcoming activities/events were discussed.

1. Begin a more organized food drive for the food pantry by having a select item a month for members to donate. The team will check with Sharon for direction.

2. Make activity/care packages for the children during their hospital stay, in support of the Dylan and Gavin Rainbow Program. Nancy will get more details as to the size & type of bag, as well as the items needed to fill the bags.

A craft night will be held on Thursday May 10^th at 7 pm in the dining room. During this team building event, participants will be making a hanging basket from a colander. Individuals need to sign up for this event by May 7^th by calling either Nancy Koch or Cindy Mengel-Smith, to ensure that there are enough supplies for everyone. A $5/person fee will be charged to defray the cost of materials.   These baskets will make a great Mother’s Day gift!

An introductory yoga class will be held on Thursday June 7^th. Chair yoga will be demonstrated in combination with all level yoga instruction. This will be a onetime only class and the fee will be $10. This class is a great opportunity to explore the technique to determine if yoga is something you want to pursue.

The next Mission Outreach team meeting will be Monday June 4^th at 7pm. These meetings are open to everyone at Zion. Feel free to drop in to offer you ideas, help or support!