{"id":32330,"date":"2023-07-18T14:01:15","date_gmt":"2023-07-18T18:01:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/?p=32330"},"modified":"2024-10-09T14:37:50","modified_gmt":"2024-10-09T18:37:50","slug":"2023-christmas-marketplace-11-11-23","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/?p=32330","title":{"rendered":"2023 Christmas Marketplace (11\/11\/23)"},"content":{"rendered":"
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This post was used to announce the 2023<\/span>\u00a0Christmas Marketplace. <\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

For details about this<\/span> year’s Marketplace, please refer to the “Event Announcements” in the right hand sidebar.<\/span><\/strong><\/div><\/div>\n

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God’s purpose is to mold us more closely into the image of Christ.\u00a0 Jesus told us to love our neighbors as ourselves, and He backed that up by loving us, even to the point of dying on a cross!\u00a0 To be like Christ and to love our neighbors, we need to see the needs of people and to use our time, money, and talents to help them.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

Five years ago, <\/span><\/em>\u00a0we saw a need where people didn’t have clean drinking water<\/a><\/span>.\u00a0 We wanted to do something about it.\u00a0 So we got this idea of creating a “Christmas Marketplace<\/a><\/span>” where talented people could show and sell their crafts to people who were shopping for special Christmas gifts.\u00a0 Vendors would “rent” table space, and the funds would go directly to our mission projects.\u00a0 \u00a0This Christmas Marketplace has become a PUMC tradition (it’s been held every year except for the “COVID year” of 2021<\/span>).\u00a0 Over these years, we have been able to raise over $19,000 to provide drinking water and other relief to thousands of\u00a0 needy people across the globe.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

The needs are ongoing, and the tradition continues. This year’s Marketplace will be held on November 11, 2023.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

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Christmas Marketplace….<\/span><\/h3>\n

The Christmas Marketplace provides a venue where crafters can sell their wares to raise money which helps fight world poverty.\u00a0 The day will include a separate “Attic Treasures” section, but the actual Christmas Marketplace is not “yard sale.”\u00a0 Everything exhibited\"\" and sold in the Marketplace is handmade and original.\u00a0 The Marketplace offers all varieties of craft items: knitted items such as blankets, prayer shawls, and cancer hats, quilted blankets, wooden crafts, baked goods, and house plants.\u00a0 It’s a cross between a craft show and a marketplace.<\/p>\n

And, more importantly, the Marketplace is a way to harness our creative talent to fight poverty and help people in need (just like Jesus directed us to do in Matthew 25:31-26<\/a><\/span>).<\/p>\n

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2023 Christmas Marketplace<\/span><\/strong><\/h4>\n

WHAT<\/span><\/strong>:\u00a0\u00a0 A exhibition and sale of craft items to fight poverty<\/span><\/p>\n

WHEN<\/span><\/strong>:\u00a0\u00a0 Saturday Nov. 11, 2023<\/span><\/p>\n

TIMES<\/span><\/strong>:\u00a0 \u00a09:00 AM – 2:00 PM<\/span><\/p>\n

WHERE<\/span><\/strong>:\u00a0 PUMC Fellowship Hall<\/span><\/p>\n

COST<\/span><\/strong>:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Free to attend, $50 to rent exhibitor space<\/span><\/p>\nExhibitor Application Form<\/span><\/strong><\/a><\/div><\/div>\n

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Turning Crafts into Love…<\/span><\/h3>\n

So you want to help people.\u00a0 You feel the call to be a witness for Jesus Christ, to love your neighbor as yourself, to do good “unto the least of these”.\u00a0 How can you take on these huge tasks all by yourself?\u00a0 Can your efforts make any difference?\u00a0 \u00a0 \"\"<\/p>\n

The answers:\u00a0 You CAN’T<\/strong><\/em> take the huge tasks on all by yourself, and yes- your efforts CAN<\/em> <\/strong>make a difference!<\/p>\n

Whether you come to the Marketplace as an exhibitor or customer, you can contribute to the effort to share the Gospel and to alleviate suffering.\u00a0 \u00a0Things like digging wells, piping water, providing health care, protecting children, nurturing youth all take money.\u00a0 We may not have a lot of money, but we do have talent.\u00a0 We can’t write big checks, but we can make little things.\u00a0 The Marketplace is a way to convert those talents into money which can in turn be used to make a difference in the world.<\/p>\n

Here are some of the talents that will be brought to the Marketplace; things that will be sold:<\/p>\n