Good News

(Information taken from Odebolt's Faith Lutheran Church newsletter, "Parish Visitor")

SWEDISH PANCAKE SUPPER
Tuesday, February 12
from 5:00-7:00
Bethel Lutheran Church in Kiron

ECUMENICAL ROLLER SKATING PARTY - FEB. 10
The Ministerial Association will host a roller skating party to be held on February 10th from 4:00-6:00 p.m. at the Skate Palace in Ida Grove.  The cost is $5.00 per person and if you would like to attend but cannot afford it, each pastor has access to some free passes that the Ministerial Association covers. We need to have at least 50 skaters.

SOUP ON SUNDAY
This is an ecumenical ministry now in its third year.  In 2013 on the first Sunday of the Feb, March and April the community is invited to a free soup supper held at the Odebolt Community Center from 4:30-6:00 p.m.  Church congregations provide soup, cheese and crackers, veggies, desserts and drink.

BACK PACK MINISTRY
At the beginning of the 2011-2012 school year a new ministry began in which snack items are provided for those in need at the Odebolt school. The "Back Pack Ministry" started out with one family and now serves 17 families and 37 youth. It is a ministry is centered from the Faith Lutheran Church congregation, but it is important to note that it has become a ministry of other congregations and individuals who donate food and money. Faith Lutheran has money set aside to match monetary gifts that are given to this cause.

GROCERY DELIVERY PROGRAM
In January of 2012 the Grocery Delivery Program was begun by Faith Lutheran Church as a response to the closing of Odebolt's grocery store. Faith Lutheran member Brenda Manmiller averages about 5 orders a week and for those 5 people it makes their lives just that much easier.  People call in their order to Faith Lutheran on either Monday or Wednesday and the orders are given to Brenda. On Wednesday evening she goes grocery shopping and delivers the groceries on Thursday evening.

COMMUNITY BASKET
In September 2012 the Odebolt-Arthur-Kiron (OAK)  and Ida Grove Ministerial Associations, working with the communities of Holstein, Galva, Battle Creek, Ida Grove, Arthur and Kiron, formed a group called “Community Basket." It is a two pronged endeavor, one being the mobile food pantry, which changes communities for distribution each month, and the other is the site pantry, located in the basement of the Medical Arts Building in Ida Grove. The pantry is opened every Thursday from 1-4 p.m.  A household is able to use the site pantry once a month. With the exception of December (when delivery was canceled due to a snow storm) the Mobile Pantry has served an average of 80 households each month.

The communities of the Community Basket have received donations to purchase food that is provided each month at the mobile site, and what is left is counted up and then taken to the site pantry.  The site pantry exists on donations of food items and non-perishable items (personal care, toilet paper, Kleenex, diapers, etc). Each month church congregations are invited to collect various items for the site pantry.

There is a board of directors for the Community Basket made up of 13 members from all of the communities.  All are volunteers that serve on the board and work distribution sites. 

This month Community Basket is asking area churches to gather paper products, such as paper towels, Kleenex, toilet paper, napkins, diapers, etc. If you pick up those items you may place them in the grocery cart in the entrance to your church and they will be delivered to the site pantry.  They will also accept whatever you would like to donate.