Social Ministry

Alternative Giving

Yes, it’s that time of year already! Before you start obsessing over your Christmas list and what to get that hard to shop for person, let Social Ministry help you. How about making a donation to a charity that would be of interest to your family member or friend? They receive not only a small token craft and information on the charity, but also the knowledge that some good work is being done for others.
This year we present four diverse charities.

$5 – Antler Ridge Wildlife Sanctuary – Antler Ridge Wildlife Sanctuary is a 120 acre protected farmland located in Warren County and dedicated to provide care to sick, injured or orphaned animals. Along with saving animals they educate the public about protecting and preserving New Jersey’s ecosystems.
www.antler-ridge.com

$10 – ELCA Good Gifts: Vaccinations – Each day more than 5,000 children and adults die from diseases that could be prevented by vaccinations. Immunizing a child against polio, tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis, and measles will help them live a healthy life.

$15 – Homes For Our Troops – Homes For Our Troops helps severely injured and disabled Veterans and their families rebuild their lives with the gift of a specially adapted home. These homes provide freedom of movement and the ability to live independently. www.homeforourtroops.org

$20 – Autism New Jersey - 1 in 50 children in New Jersey is diagnosed with autism. Autism New Jersey is a network of parents and professionals dedicated to improving the lives of people with autism and their families. Autism New Jersey links families to services through awareness, credible information, education and public policy initiatives. www.autismnj.org

The Social Ministry Committee will be in the CEB lobby between services starting on November 17.

Senior Baskets

Years ago, a Zion member who volunteered at the local food pantry noticed that at Christmas time gifts were being donated for children but older pantry clients were forgotten. Senior Baskets is a ministry meant to remember the elderly and bring them some Christmas joy. Every year Zion collects enough items to assemble 100 baskets and distributes them to the local food pantries. We will be collecting for Senior Baskets throughout November. Collection bins are located in the narthex and the CEB.

Senior Basket items:
Ladies and Mens Deodorant
Toothpaste/toothbrushes
Razors
Men’s Shaving Cream
Shampoo/Conditioner
Body Wash
Moisturizers/Lotions
Chap Stick
Small bottle of dishwashing liquid
Sponges
Hard Candy
Cough Drops
OTC medications
Aspirin
Teas/ coffees/hot chocolate
Crossword puzzle books
Slipper socks
Hats/Scarfs
Gloves
Postage Stamps

If you don’t have time to shop you can donate money or write a check to Zion Lutheran Church with “ Senior Baskets” written in the memo and the Social Ministry Committee will shop for you.

IHN –Family Promise

Our IHN guests will be arriving on November 10 and staying with us at the CEB until November 24. We need volunteers to be at the CEB especially during the weekend hours. Many times our guests come and go throughout the weekend. Some guests like to spend time relaxing in their rooms. If you volunteer to “socialize” your basic duties include:
Being in the Great Room or the CEB lobby.
Smiling and saying hello to our guests. Introduce yourself. Be friendly.

It is that easy.

Some of the things I have done while socializing with our IHN guests:
Baked brownies with a ten year old.
Helped to make a pillow with a teenager
Played Cards, Candyland, Life, and Stratego with various kids
Helped a 4th grader with math homework (thank goodness I remembered fractions)
Rocked a three month old baby in my arms
Read my book club book. (Also read the People magazine in the lobby. Thank you to the person who left them)

It was that easy, and fun. My point is that you don’t have to be nervous about volunteering to “socialize” with our IHN guests. You don’t have to formally plan anything to do. Our guests go to a new church every two weeks and meet new people all the time. They know how much interaction they want. We as volunteers just need to be there and make our guests feel welcomed into our Zion home.

Quilts

The quilters have been busy. We have 20 quilts finished. Our goal is 30. Can you guess why?