This week we are catching up with Dave and Bev Popplewell who have been busy raiding Aldi and trying to organise the ministry team.
Who are you and what do you do?
We are Bev and Dave Popplewell and have been at All Saints for over 34 years. We live on Ringinglow Road and have various roles within the church.
What are you up to at the minute?
Right now we’re preparing for Harvest Sunday which is on Sunday 8 October; we have coordinated the annual collection and distribution for the past few years.
Around August each year, we check our ‘Harvest’ folder and start collecting cardboard boxes of varying sizes; raiding the shelves of Lidl and Aldi. We do get some funny looks! We then update our lists of gift recipients by checking with the pastoral team and other church group members, to ensure that our lists are up to date.
We have to book the church for the Monday after Harvest and enlist helpers for packing and delivering the gifts and generally check that our admin is all up to date.
So what will happen next weekend?
The church will be open on Saturday morning and throughout the Sunday services to receive donations from the church family. On Monday, these are then packed into appropriate parcels for local charities, housebound or frail members of the congregation and taken out to those in need of our love and thoughts.
We are always astounded by the amount of goods brought to church and how God sends just the right people at just the right time on the day of packing and delivering.
On Monday we start by praying for the people who will receive the gifts and say thank you to God for all He gives us. Then there is a busy, (mostly organised!) movement of helpers sorting, packing, and chatting. It’s a very sociable morning; the tea, coffee and biscuits are always very welcome.
Can you tell us more about the effect the gifts have in the community?
It is the most special blessing to deliver a parcel to someone who may see no one else that day, or to see their surprise and delight to be remembered by the church family. We receive many cards and letters from both charities and individuals expressing their thanks, but only God knows the chain of love set in motion by these gifts.
How can people get involved?
To say thank you to God for all we receive, a collection of tinned and dried food, confectionary, plants and other groceries are brought to church by the congregation on Harvest Sunday. The church family are always very generous, both in giving goods and of their time to help pack and deliver the gifts.
Please bring items to church either on Saturday 7 Oct between 10-11.30am or to any service on Sunday 8 October. Distribution of the gifts will be Monday 9 October when we will need help packing from 9.30am in church and car drivers to deliver the gifts from 11am. Please join us if you can. Tea, coffee and biscuits will be served.