The four seminars will be conducted again on Sunday, February 12^th, 3:00 – 7:30 pm. Please sign up at the Welcome Center by Wednesday, February 8^th. A delicious meal will be served to all who attend.

          

“Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth”

11Timothy 2:15 KJV

Upper Rock Island County Food Pantry

     Each month members of Countryside donate food items to the Upper Rock Island Food Pantry, located at Messiah Lutheran Church, in Port Byron. Last year (2011) the Food Pantry served 517 families, which equaled to 1,143 individuals. Due to the number of Holiday Baskets given out in November and December the Food Pantry needs to replenish their shelves for January and February. I did ask if there was anything in particular that was needed and was told there is always a need for two items throughout the year - breakfast items, especially cereal for the kids, and toilet paper. The Food Pantry serves a great need in our community. Thank you and God Bless you for your support.

Margaret Bennett

                                Prayer Shawl Ministry

In the middle of the third year of the Prayer Shawl Ministry, the women who meet once a month to knit or crochet together have done more than share the fellowship of people who love crafts. Since 2007 at its inception, the group has had a goal to ‘warm up the world’, one prayer shawl or lap robe at a time. Literally dozens of shawls and lap robes have been mailed and taken to people, young and old all over the U.S., from Fruitland, IA, to Texas, and Colona. Baby items were sent with the Minnaerts on their trip to the orphanage in Guatemala. Illini Restorative Care and Rosewood residents were given lap robes and prayer shawls and the latest trip was to Hope Creek, the new Rock Island County Nursing Home. Twelve robes and a dozen shawls were appreciated, according to the thank you note from the activities director. A while back, one precious fuzzy handmade blanket went to a very ill baby in a hurry.In order to keep reaching people, the group would like to ask the congregation at Countryside for help. First of all, if there are any people you know that needs a lift and a ‘warming up,’ please tell someone in the group. We try very hard too personally deliver the items, but can mail them if necessary.Secondly, like everything else, the price of yarn is going up. We take advantage of sales, both retail and yard, and have been able to get some yarn at estate sales. We obviously want clean, good yarn, and will happily accept leftovers from people who can no longer do crafts or have unfinished projects. If anyone would care to donate funds for a shawl or lap robe, we would appreciate that also. We watch those yarn sales closely.Last but not least, we would like to invite anyone who would like to learn a craft to join us. We have crocheters, knitters and even quilters in the group. If you have a project started and would like to work and talk, come join us. Feel free to visit just to see what we do. If you have yarn that needs to be picked up, Just let Nancy Dufur, JoAnn McCoy, Margaret Bennett, Shirley Baxter, Pat Webb, Sue Wriedt, or Joanne Wiklund know. Or bring it to church and leave it with Rita and she’ll see that we get it.
Thank you.
Joanne Wiklund