The 2007 Festival of Sharing held at the Missouri State Fairgrounds in Sedalia was a great success. Thanks be to God! Preliminary totals are that 44,000 Pounds of potatoes, 20,000 pounds of rice and 20,000 pounds of beans were bagged and packed for shipping. In adddition, 120 local agencies received support, one and a half (53 foot long) semi-trailers were loaded with school kits alone, the Quilt Auction brought in $34,000.00, and even more significantly, between 3,500 and 4,000 participated in the ecumenical worship service on Saturday, October 20, 2007.

This annual inter-faith, state-wide ingathering event, is held on the third Saturday in October each year. Mark your calendar for October 18, 2007 and invite others in your congregation to get involved in this inspiring event, where groups and individuals can personally join in sharing God’s blessings with the entire world.

The Festival is really a two day event, with Friday used as the set up day for volunteers, and the overnight Youth Fest Retreat. For the full listing of events go to the website http://www.umocm.com, for more highlights of the 2007 Festival and plans as they are made for 2008.

The Quilt Auction: Churches all across the state of Missouri work to prepare and donate quilts for the auction. The Quilt Auction provides significant support for the “Tools and Blankets” program of the Church World Service (CWS). During the past 25 years, more than 2700 quilts have been made and sold during the Quilt Auction. Some have brought in more than $600.000 for the Church World Blanket Fund.

Backpacks of Love: These kits are used by children between the ages of 4-10 who have experienced a crisis and are being placed in foster care.

PURPOSES of THE FESTIVAL OF SHARING
*generate financial and material aid responses for hunger, poverty, and crisis
*meet and challenge injustice through advocacy and systemic change
*promote awareness of hunger and justice issues, local and *international outreach opportunities, and stewardship responsibilities
*encourage and enable hands-on experiences with mission projects