Pasta Noodles Instead of Pine Needles
Chelmsford church members build a Christmas tree for the food pantry
 by Elmer Lyons, Member, Central Congregational Church in Chelmsford
Our church, Central Congregational Church in Chelmsford, was looking for ways to bring some spark to our annual holiday celebrations and to rejuvenate our declining support for the local food pantry.
We came up with a popular solution: a can-tree for the local food pantry.
Some of our handymen built a Christmas-tree-shaped stack of circular shelves in the main hall. Throughout Advent and Christmas, everyone attending the church (members, youth groups, scouts, etc.) was encouraged to stock the shelves with donated food or other essentials. The youth enjoyed stocking and decorating the 'tree'.
As a result of this unique idea, we collected much more than in recent years from a larger segment of the church, and the pantry benefited from a large donation in mid January -- which is typically when the shelves start to empty because of the surge of December holiday donations.
This is one idea that local churches should put on next year's Christmas list.
Elmer Lyons can be reached at the Central Congregational Church office in Chelmsford at (978) 256-5931 or ccc-linn-admin@verizon.net.
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