Dexter’s Winterberry Fair, this Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Dexter United Methodist Church, promises beautiful artisan gift ideas, unique antique items in Grandma’s Attic and a delicious lunch including a variety of homemade soups and sandwiches.
You can expect to enjoy the work of 35 artisans who have created original jewelry, handmade soaps and lotions, photographs by Kelly Boyes, paper crafts and Marcie Bringardner’s hand-painted Christmas ornaments.
Grandma’s Attic includes special items gleaned from donations to the church for its popular rummage sales. These could include jewelry, unusual handbags and purses and valuable collectibles.
Shoppers also will enjoy seeing the beautiful hand-sewn nativity sets, created by women in Lwowek Slaski, Poland, through the Elim Christian Center mission, helping the needy in that area. Jennifer Walter, a member of Dexter United Methodist, became familiar with the mission when she lived in Europe as her husband served with the U.S. Air Force.
“The Elim center started out small (in 1992), but now provides many services and opportunities for the very poor people in that area. The Nativity project teaches women the skill of sewing and allows them to create items that can be sold to help sustain these women and their families,” Walter said.
“The last time I was there, I saw a woman I had met before and she was so excited to show me her indoor toilet. Before she started sewing for Elim, she had no running water in the house. A lot of homes don’t have electricity. The Nativity project equips them with a skill, gives them confidence, proves their work has value. And they come to know the love of Jesus,” Walter said.
The Fair also provides a means to fund-raise for specific mission projects and church group goals. Saturday the DUMC Youth Group will be selling Cookies by the Pound to help them finance the growing costs of their programs, including the wonderful Human Videos they perform for the church.
An organization known as Buy the Change will be bringing various handmade items from third world countries and the profits will be passed on to them.
DUMC’s Winterberry Fair also will feature home-made gifts of food for sale including Jane Fink’s granola and popular Zipz bars and freshly baked scones to take home for breakfast.
COVER PHOTO: Leslie Church (L-R), Marcie Bringardner, Teena Gordon and Malaina Church. Bringardner and Gordon have been working on the Winterberry Fair and the girls are Gordon’s granddaughters.
