It is the mission of First Presbyterian Church of Gardner to become the hands and feet of Jesus as we serve Christ in our community and world. We share a variety of projects to encourage care for those who are in need, with a special emphasis on care for the children of the world.
“Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” – Matthew 25:40
Through our partnership with Heart to Heart International, we help provide hygiene kits to individuals and families affected by disasters, poverty, and crisis situations around the world. Each kit contains essential personal care items that promote health, dignity, and hope during difficult times. By assembling and donating these kits, our congregation shares Christ’s love in a tangible way, helping meet immediate needs while reminding recipients that they are cared for and not alone.
When was the last time you visited JOY Closet? Come get acquainted with our volunteers and check out our displays. Thank you for your generous donations. We love to see familiar faces and are proud to serve this community. We look forward to seeing you!
Immediate Need!
A volunteer is needed to empty our blue bins and bring donations inside. This task involves lifting of bags into a cart or your vehicle and bringing them around to the back door. We need a person each day that we are open for about an hour. This task usually does not involve heavy lifting, but bags vary and could have heavy contents.
A volunteer is needed to keep our greeting card display organized and stocked. We have received donations of beautiful cards and some of them are seasonal and need rotated.
Please let Cindy or Ginger know if you are interested in either of these positions!
Donation Tips When cleaning out your closets and cabinets, consider giving to JOY Closet. The blue bins in front of the store are available for times when the store is closed.
• Clothing that is in season is best, but we will accept out-of-season clothing.
• Bedding: if you know the size, please mark with masking tape.
• Small electronics, please mark if it works or might need batteries, etc.
• Other items: shoes and boots, dishes and pans, purses and bags, toys and games, books, jewelry, craft supplies, cards, bicycles, baby equipment, miscellaneous small household items.
Sorters: We are in need of sorters to handle donations. Check the store hours and your schedule.
Volunteer needed to take paint, stain, other items to a recycling place. Please check your schedule and let Cindy or Ginger know when you will be available.
Special thanks to:
• Wayne Rollf and the Pfeiffer family for snow removal and ice treatment.
• Andy Barber for the many times he empties bins and rescues donations that are left out in the open.
The mission of helping others requires a variety of skills, time, and willingness to work hard. However you may help, it is appreciated!
New Year’s –Old Traditions –New Beginnings This time of year causes us to reflect on our personal goals and habits, on how we seek to serve God’s will in our lives. Thankfully, God has blessed each of us with a variety of abilities and talents. What might God ask of you? How will you serve? JOY Closet is open 31 hours each week…all year long. It takes many hours of volunteer work to keep the store running smoothly. Some jobs can also be completed outside of store hours…emptying bins, bringing in donations, sorting donations, vacuuming the display floor. Substitute Staff: We are privileged to have several regular sorters, but at times schedules change and a cashier is in the store alone. The presence of an additonal person is invaluable, whether that person is sorting donations or simply greeting customers and working alongside the cashier. If you are sometimes available on short notice, you might be that person! Think about your strengths and let Cindy or Ginger know when you can train. JOY Closet Volunteer Dinner – Thank you to the approximately 50 people who made the annual Volunteer Dinner a success. We are blessed to have so many community members who serve alongside our church members in this ministry of caring. May God continue to bless each of these volunteers and their families and the wonderful communities of Gardner and Edgerton. We look forward to an even greater turnout next year!
Needed: Thursday Evening Cashier from 4 – 7 or 5 – 7, weekly or bi-weekly. Contact Ginger Crist or Cindy Rollf.
Becoming the Hands and Feet of Jesus
As we worship together we think about ways in which we can reach others in the community, sharing the word of God, and just as importantly, living out the teachings of Jesus. Oftentimes, we feel that we are falling short, that there is more that we can do.
Rest assured, we are gradually making a difference. Our year-to-date numbers, as of November 1, showed that for the first ten months of the year, JOY Closet honored 470 vouchers, by giving free clothing, shoes, and bedding valued at $13,686.60.
That amount represents a large quantity of items, because our standard prices are very low. (Adult clothing, $2.00, Kids clothing, $1.00, Coats $5.00, Shoes, $2.00, Boots $5.00, Towels and bedding sell from $1 for a towel to $5 for a sheet set.) Therefore, those items, many of which were gently used, would have cost much more at retail prices.
Aside from customers with vouchers, we are blessed with many repeat customers who rely on JOY Closet when their children need clothing at a bargain price. It is the income from those customers that help JOY Closet meet its budget each month. We have been blessed with the good will of many people in our community and bounteous donations.
Thank you to our congregation for your prayers, love, and support.
Come and join us!
We have some exciting events planned for the fall. If you would like to get involved, just let a member of the mission team know or look for signup sheets in the narthex.
A weekend mission trip is being planned to the Des Moines area (Pella or Marshall Town) to assist with tornado clean up. We will be making announcements in church as details become available. We will also be sending emails to anyone who expressed interest in participating in a weekend trip.
Annual Halloween Celebration will be on Sunday, October 28th, 5:00-7:00 p.m. Trunk or Treat 5-6 pm and Chili dinner/contest with costume contest 6-7pm.
Operation Christmas Child Packing Party will be Saturday November 10th, 9-11am in fellowship hall.
The Project Patricia. We will begin collecting fabric and monetary donations to support this organization supplies feminine hygiene kits to women and teens in African countries.
In November we will again be adopting children from the Mayors Christmas Tree.
The Changing of the Seasons: Each autumn we look forward to cooler evenings and the first changing of colors on the trees. Our shoppers are looking forward, also. They are anticipating needing long sleeves and jackets soon for their kids! At JOY Closet, we are busy sorting winter clothing and will start hanging it on the showroom floor in September. We have jobs for everyone; come join us!
JOY Closet needs include:
Someone to take home a bin of plastic hangers to bundle and tie with yarn (we provide) and return.
Additional person to take home bedding. Measure, tie, and bundle ready-to-display on the floor. Label with details,
Individuals and small groups to sort donations.
Do you have friends or a small group who are looking for a way to serve the community? Perhaps you’d like to serve a Saturday (10-2) each month or a convenient 2 to 4 hour shift during hours on Monday, Tuesday, or Thursday. Ask Ginger or Cindy about training and put your names on our schedule!
Thank you! On Monday, June 18th, it was 90 degrees inside our store. Our thanks to Hickman Heating and Cooling for their quick response in repairing the problem and for their donation of their time and services!
Gardner City-Wide Garage Sale – Saturday, May 5th
Come join us! This is a great opportunity for service to our community. It will be a busy day as we will have many vehicles donating during the afternoon hours.
We are in need of:
workers to help carry bags and boxes from incoming cars. Some items may be heavy. We need volunteers who can lift heavy stuff! sorters to be there from 3 to 6 pm to help sort and organize incoming donations!
Please mark your calendars
Making a Difference
Do you sometimes wonder what you can do to make a difference in your home, your community? We can do God’s work in small ways, one person at a time.
Opportunity awaits. JOY Closet is truly blessed with more donations than we can handle. Some of the work can be done from home – like sorting and bundling hangers. Volunteers are always needed in the receiving room to sort and price items. Give just a little time if you are able and come and join us. Ask Cindy or Ginger about training. We LOVE our volunteers!
