Pop-up Market for Tonga

Two of our goals we have this year regarding our ‘out’ aspect of discipleship are to more closely tie our giving to relationships and be involved in a hands-on way rather than to just have the treasurer write a cheque each year, and secondly to integrate our children into our ministries of justice, mercy and creation care.

Our appeal for Tonga through Anglican Missions was the first step toward this. A parishioner stepped up to lead this and created stickers for missions boxes and prayer candles.

One of our home groups initiated a pop-up market as their ‘out’ response. We had a wonderful morning on Saturday 2nd April and the weather couldn't have been better.

The children's initiatives included selling worm wine from a worm farm started during the season of creation, teacup prayer candles using teacups from the op-shop and left-over candle stubs from our worship services, play dough, upcycled golden book journals and nursery bunting, pot plants, easter gifts, and up-cycled jewellery.

For me it was a joy to see so many parishioners serving alongside one-another, from 3-year-olds to octogenarians. We set up on the grass verge outside the church so we could enjoy connecting with our neighbours as they passed by. I'm even about to go and meet with one neighbour I connected with and who is interested in finding out more about church.

Read the letter that I received from Esme, who made teacup candles and play dough and was “very iksitid and ameditlee statid too seet up” when she realised she could have a stall at the market.

By Rev. Chris Dodds, Vicar of Peninsula Parish