Norman Good, Blooming Glen
Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) strives to respond to urgent needs around the globe and at home. Each prayer and gift is offered to bring healing and hope “in the name of Christ.”Approximately five years ago, MCC in Akron, Pa., contacted Abe Landes, of Zion Mennonite Church in Souderton, Pa., and myself about the possibility of opening a satellite in the Franconia area for more local involvement and clearer communication. During that time I learned that a building on Indian Creek Road in Harleysville, Pa., owned by Franconia Conference, was available. With only minor renovations, the building was ready to be used for MCC’s Harleysville Material Resource Center.In 2006, a nine acre piece of land located along Souder Road was donated by Nelson Souder. We are currently working on plans for a new building which will house the activities of quilting, knotting comforters, gathering and checking kits, collecting books for Book Savers (an on-going project where textbooks and story books are collected to be used locally for schools in need or sent to the mission field), a small office for Mennonite Disaster Service and their vans, a repair shop for Care and Share Shoppes and space for the operation of the MCC meat canner. We are hoping to be open in 2008.This past year, more than 7,906 school kits, 1,702 quilts and comforters, 214 relief kits, 441 newborn kits, and miscellaneous items were shipped from our facility to Ephrata, Pa., to be distributed locally or shipped abroad. We also are involved with cutting used cotton materials and wrapping them in five pound mesh bags for industrial use. These are also available in one pound packages at Care and Share Shoppes in Souderton, Pa., along with items such as comforters and quilts. The sale of these materials bring us a small amount of revenue which allows us to meet MCC’s requirement to be self-supporting. We appreciate the generosity of the Care and Share Shoppes for assisting us in this way.There are many upcoming activities and opportunities to get involved at the Harelysville MCC Material Resource Center.Quilters from all churches can join our sewing circle at any time. Quilts and comforters are set up regularly and several patch-cutting parties will happen over the winter months as well as special events like the “Quilt-as-you-go” table runner project with Connie Landes this past January. “Kids in Mission” continues to be an active outreach at the Material Resource Center. Groups from Indian Valley and Perkiomenville Mennonite churches come on a monthly basis to check kits, work on color squares for comforters, knot, sew and do other various tasks. Currently, we are coordinating with MCC to use the “Penny Power” bottles to collect money for providing pure water to those in need. The MCC traveling meat canner will be at Christopher Dock Mennonite High School in March and hopes to achieve a goal of 15,000 cans of meat.We hope and encourage individuals and groups to come and learn more about us and participate in these activities.Photo by Conrad Erb
