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Illinois Great Rivers Conference — The Current Local Church News Good Shepherd Parish sewing for missions through MMDC


By Joyce Shelton Good Shepherd Parish


WITT -- Cheryl Randel, a member of


the Witt United Methodist Women recent- ly attended the Annual Work Day at the Midwest Mission Distribution Center in Chatham. The Witt UMW visit each year and work for a day at the Center. This was Cheryl’s first time to attend and she really amazed at all the projects being done. Randel commented that the children’s


hospital gowns project took a “tug” at her heart. She had an idea that she could sew up a few of the gowns/outfits and take them to MMDC. She presented her vision and ideas


to the United Methodist Women (UMW) at their monthly meeting. A big push for the mission was given by Pastor Diane Bigley, when she spread the word on the church email. The “Sewing for Missions” project became a reality. Randel immediately contacted


MMDC and asked if she could get some patterns of the children’s hospital gowns and specific sewing instructions MMDC was more than happy to comply with her request. She started talking with everyone she came in contact with about her “Sew- ing for Missions” project. She established several drop-off sites in the community for material. There were numerous phone calls and emails from people expressing their interest and wanting to get involved with the sewing mission. Offers of free sewing machines (some that needed re- pair), material, donations, were coming in fast and furious. It was definitely getting contagious! Randel set everything up in the


basement of the Witt United Methodist Church. There are now 10 sewing ma- chines that are in good working condi- tion, thanks to a friend of Cheryl’s who fixed the machines and only charged for the replacement parts. The labor of love


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to always “do everything in love.” I also appreciate the scripture passages at the end of Job when God asks Job if he knows how everything was created and how it all works. This is so powerful to me. How can anyone doubt that there is a Creator God when we know none of the answers to those questions? Scientists think they have the answers but there are many things that are still a mystery to us all and for me there is only one explanation…God. What is your favorite spiritual music, song or hymn? I love to listen to contemporary


Christian music as well as several tradi- tional hymns. Some of my favorites are Who Am I, Spirit Song, Hymn of Prom-


has touched so many lives in the sur- rounding communities. There has already been two work days


for sewing up the hospital gowns/outfits. There were more than 17 people who came on the first work day and more for the next one. It was extremely organized since everyone had their own specific job. Cheryl assigned people to cut out patterns and material. For those who were sewing impaired they ironed seams on the fin- ished garments and pressed off other ma- terial ready to be cut out. Several people helped set up a light lunch for the group. Some people worked for just a few hours and others stayed most of the day. It was a come and go work day as their schedule permitted. A few stopped by the church and picked up a pattern and material and took it home to sew. As of this date, there are more than


120 hospital gowns/outfits completed and ready to be taken to the MMDC. MMDC will then ship the finished outfits to places like the Grace Children’s Hospital in Hai- ti, orphanages or other needy locations around the World. Each and every outfit is different, unique and so adorable. On Sept. 26, the “Sewing for Mis-


sions” project was dedicated during the morning worship service. Most of the hospital gowns/outfits were displayed all over the altar rail. Persons who helped with the project brought forth an outfit and placed them on the altar rail. Pastor Diane Bigley praised Randel for her efforts on the mission work al- ready done. She said that is was through Cheryl’s compassion and seeing the need, and acting upon it that has made the “Sewing for Missions” project such an enormous success. Persons with questions about the


Sewing for Missions project may con- tact Randel at randel1947@yahoo.com. Persons interested in helping out with this mission may also call 217-594-2426


ise, In the Garden, Amazing Grace and Here I Am. In what other ways are you in- volved in the community? I have participated on several teams


for The Weekend: A Journey with Christ since 2002. I served on their board from 2007 to 2010. Currently, I am partici- pating on a team which will be the first Weekend to be held in Litchfield. What hobbies do you enjoy in your


free time? Time spent with family and friends,


reading, studying (when I was younger, I wanted to be a professional student … life has been the greatest classroom), movies, stamping and writing. When times get tough, how does


your religious belief or practice help you?


When life is going great it is easy to


A total of 185 hospital gowns were delivered Oct. 14 to the Midwest Mission Distri- bution Center by Witt UMC as part of the Sewing for Mission project initiated by the church’s UMW unit. Pictured from left are: Johanne McDonald, MMDC coordinator; Cheryl Randel, Carol Hartman and MMDC volunteer Pat Fowler.


and leave a message. The “Sewing for Missions” is an


amazing blessing for the Good Shep- herd’s Parish, which consists of the Witt, Hillsboro, Fillmore and Coffeen United Methodist Churches. People from all faiths in the nearby communi- ties of Witt, Nokomis, Hillsboro, Ir- ving, Ohlman, Litchfield, Owaneco and Rochester have come forward to share their talents and work together on the sewing for mission project. The MMDC is located on an eight-


acre campus, 4 miles south of Spring- field, Illinois. Construction began in October 1999 and opened for ministry in March 2000. Volunteers pack kits, sort items, sew school bags, hospital gowns, and blankets, and box goods for ship- ment in the Center. The mission of the Midwest Mission Distribution Center is to compassion-


forget about or take for granted our faith and our need for God. When times get tough it would be easy to place blame on God. However, I do not know how to do either. I make it through each day – good or bad – by God’s grace. He is the one I turn to in good times and bad. During the worst of times is when I have felt his presence the strongest. I do not know or understand why things have to get so hard and complicated in this life; all I do know is that I could not make it through this life without my faith in God and the promise of a life beyond all this. What religious leaders, public or


private figures, do you admire the most? My grandmother had the biggest


impact on my life in all aspects, espe- cially religiously and spiritually. She was a very strong, faith-filled Christian


ately help God’s people in need locally, nationally, and around the world and to offer a center to fulfill the call for ser- vice to our neighbors in Christ’s name. Disaster relief materials have been


sent to people recovering from floods, fires, tornadoes, and hurricanes in the United States. Humanitarian aid, medi- cal, and educational goods have been shipped to Afghanistan, Algeria, Be- larus, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Ghana, Haiti, Honduras, India, Iraq, Jamaica, Liberia, Mexico, Pakistan, Panama, Peru, Philippines, Romania, Russia, Si- erra Leone, Tajikistan, and Zimbabwe. In the nine years that the MMDC has been open, more than 1,800 shipments/ disbursements have been made. More than 146 tons were shipped/disbursed in 2009.


woman. She showed her love for the Lord and for each person through every act of service she did each day. She al- ways put others before herself. One of her greatest spiritual gifts was hospital- ity. Everyone felt completely welcomed and special in her presence and in her home. Several past ministers and cur- rent Christian friends have significantly impacted my life. What is your favorite religious ser-


vice? I enjoy every service, especially


those in which we partake of commu- nion. I treasure the Christmas Eve can- dlelight services and Easter services.


(Reprinted with permission from the


Sept. 16 issue of the Galesburg Register Mail)


November 2010


Photo courtesy of Joyce Shelton


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