ADVENT MARKET

Alternative Giving

Advent Wreath Making

Light Lunch

Join us the first Sunday of December, Sunday December 4th 2011,  for the NHCC Advent Market (formerly the Alternative Giving Market).

The Advent Market provides a way to celebrate gift-giving during the holiday season while making a positive impact on our world.  The market features a family friendly atmosphere and a light lunch of soup and bread with proceeds going towards mission activities.

The event is held in the Great Hall of NHCC, which is through the door in the front of the sanctuary or through the Lincoln street glass-door entrance.  Once inside you will find tables for organizations, a table for wreath-making, and a light lunch station.  Come and learn about a variety of local and international organizations serving the hungry, the homeless, the vulnerable, and those in need of disaster relief both here and abroad.  Make donations in lieu of a gift (in the name of a friend or family member where appropriate) or buy some of the featured craft items.  For the first time this year we will have special activities through Heifer International.  There will be a station for carding wool and making a friendship bracelet; there will be a grinding station for children to grind wheat and coffee with two different methods; and there will be a tortilla rolling station.

Organizations featured at the Advent Market fall into one or more of our key mission areas: Feed the Hungry, House the Homeless, and Keep the Creation.  

At the Advent Market there will be tables where you will find gifts to buy, information about organizations, and opportunities to make a charitable contribution in lieu of a gift.  We will have a table where you can purchase a wreath form, greens and candles and assemble your advent wreath.  You can also purchase a light lunch of soup and bread -- there will be a pasta based soup, vegetarian soup, and a couple of other choices.  Proceeds will be donated to the charitable organizations below.

Here is a description of the activities, products, and organizations that will be present at the 2011 Advent Market.

10,000 Villages:  Each year we bring in products from 10,000 Villages, a Fair Trade company that provides a marketplace for artisans from developing countries.

Church World Service:  At the CWS table you will be able to assemble the components that go into two small kits of supplies:  hygiene kits and school kits. Your gift will support the cost of the kit and the distribution.   Hygiene kits are distributed to survivors of natural disasters, violence, or poverty.  School kits give children in impoverished schools, refugee camps or other difficult settings some of the basic tools for learning.  You may also make a monetary donation to CWS that will go towards animals, food related products, blankets, and a variety of other supplies that support disaster relief and economic development.

City Mission Society of Boston:  At the CMS table you can learn about the activities of this organization, donate warm clothing, and make donations in lieu of a gift.

CMS MLK Day of Service:  The MLK day of service is held annually -- this year it is on January 14th.  You can learn about participating, sign up to volunteer, and make a donation in support of this day.

Equal Exchange Products:  This table offers fair trade coffee and chocolate for sale.

Heifer International:  There will be both activities and a donation table for Heifer.  The donation table, staffed by the youth of the church, provides an opportunity to make donations for the full range of Heifer "gifts".  Heifer International focuses on providing the means for people to obtain a sustainable source of food and income.  In addition this year the area volunteer coordinator for Heifer International will be coordinating activities for children.  There will be a station for carding wool and making a friendship bracelet; there will be a grinding station for children to grind wheat and coffee with two different methods; and there will be a tortilla rolling station.

Holiday Cards and Tags:  One of our members creates handcrafted cards and gift tags.  Proceeds from sales are donated to one of the charitable organizations supported by the church.

Metrowest Interfaith Hospitality Network:  You can learn about this interfaith program providing temporary housing and support for homeless families, you can buy a house pin, and you can make a donation in lieu of a gift.  

Mildred's Afghans:  A church member creates afghans which you can buy for a gift, your own use, or you can donate an afghan to a local charity, this year to Metrowest Interfaith Hospitality Network, a program providing temporary housing and support services to homeless families.

Newton Sister City:  This table will have gifts for purchase for San Juan del Sur, Newton's sister city.  You can also make a donation.

Rosie's Place:  The women of Rosie's place create lovely jewelry and bookmarks.  Purchase them here. 

Grow Native Massachusetts:  Interested in gardening and concerned about our ecosystem?  Learn about the importance of native plants, managing the invasion of alien plants, and find out about reference materials.  

WANT TO KNOW MORE?  Check out the Mission page for information about the individual organizations named.

http://www.nhcc.net/Mission/adventmarket.htm