Ladies Guild

Ladies Guild News

About the Ladies Guild. The Ladies Guild is a “service” group, helping to prepare the Parish paper for mailing, sewing baby and liturgical quilts, checking the condition of our busy kitchen, organizing the fall rummage sale, and hosting some special events. 

Meetings. During the school year, the Ladies Guild meets on the first and third Thursday of the month at 9:30 a.m. in the Conference Room.  On the last Thursday of the month, the group prepares the Parish Paper for mailing. (We meet more often when there are baby quilts that need to be made.) Next Meeting: Sept. 16, 9:30 in the Conference Room, Church Center. (YOU ARE WELCOME TO ATTEND)

We have resolved to do a “kitchen check” at each meeting, and also to pray for the needs of this church and community.

We welcome women of all ages to join this service organization.  

Questions? Call Amy Walker at 268-0234

Our Annual Rummage Sale. 

Pipes and Patchwork Quilt Show - a BIG success! (view the photos)

THANK YOU! Quilt Show & Elegant Tea Thanks The Ladies Guild wishes to thank everyone who helped with and attended our first Quilt Show & Elegant Tea! The "Quilt/Recital" on Saturday, April 5,  was very well received, and there was a steady stream of visitors to the Show & Tea on both days. Thanks to our  own fabulous bakers, Scoopucino's and Lobster House, the Tea made over $700 - and we had just enough desserts left to use for the Presbytery gathering on Thursday, as well as the Community Dinner! Adding in what was received from the Silent Auction, we have cleared $1,000. . 

	On December 18, 2005, the Ladies Guild hung the first quilt of a series they hope to do. Each quilted hanging will represent one season of the church year, beginning with this Advent-Christmas scene.
	Many of our members had a part in its creation, including: Pam Whittet, Betty Fraser, Fran Stowe, Jane Wells, Gail Schaberg, Helen Brouwer, Amy Walker, and Laura Toland. Many hands lightened the work!
	The second seasonal hanging was completed in time for Easter, 2006.
	The Pentecost liturgical quilt was hung for the first time on Pentecost Sunday (May 31, 2009).  The main body of the quilt was made by Gail Schaberg; the lettering was added by the Guild, and the dove created by becky MacKellar (organist and choir director at Trinity Episcopal Church).  It is a very "spirited" hanging!

Still in Stitches The blankets and other knitted items were displayed in the front of the church.  They were a result of many hours of effort and laughter. The Knitting Group met for many months to work on this mission project to provide hand-knit items for an orphanage in Ethiopia. The group was composed of knitters of all ages and skill levels. They enjoyed learning new skills, practicing old ones, and sharing in the good fellowship of each other's company.  (More...)

The Butterfly Another artist in our midst is Amy Walker, she created the beautiful Easter butterfly. Be sure to look at it close up, and note the antique lace that was used.

Rejoice in the Lord Banner We hope you have noticed the new Rejoice in the Lord banner, which now hangs in the side entry-way to the sanctuary (near the choir robes). The Ladies Guild and friends created this quilted hanging using scraps from previous projects, a few squares that turned up at the rummage sale and donated fabrics. Many hands helped with ironing, cutting, creating individual squares and arranging the rows, including: Helen Brouwer, Helen Dunstone, Fran Shaw, Fran Stowe, Shirley Baylash, Gail Schaberg, Sharon Pickard and two of her beginning quilting students. Special thanks to Amy Walker for the lettering, Pam Whittet for doing all of the machine quilting, and to Jane Wells, Eva Barrett and Laura Toland for the hand-quilting in the border.  (Can you find your hand prints?) May the banner remind us that we rejoice in the Lord, and spread that joy as we become “helping hands” in the community.

Ladies, please consider joining this group!

About the Ladies Guild

The Ladies Guild is a service organization of this church, which falls under the Congregational Life Committee. The Guild is dedicated to serving the Lord, First Presbyterian, the Potsdam community, the North Country, and missions overseas. The Guild meets on the first and third Thursday of every month in the Conference Room. Talk to Laura Toland or any other Ladies Guild member about the organization. All  women are invited to join the Guild for fellowship, needlework, service projects and “kitchen patrol”.

The Ladies Guild participates in the following events:
* Rummage Sale – for the annual spring and fall sale, offering good used items at very reasonable prices. This benefits donors who wanted to recycle items, and helps the needy in the community. The snack bar we run is much appreciated by workers and customers! The Guild continues to receive compliments on the organization and cleanliness of this sale. Customers are also very pleased to learn that a tithe of the proceeds goes to mission projects. 
* Missions – Betty Fraser obtains SERRV catalogues in the fall, which provides a non-profit market for handicrafts made by families in developing world countries, and many have made it part of their annual Christmas shopping.
* Luncheons – for many years, women of the local churches have hosted weekly Lenten Lunches. It is a wonderful opportunity to fellowship and worship with other faiths over a simple meal of soup, bread and dessert. The Guild participats by providing two or more delicious soups that have become a tradition at this church.
* Receptions - when special events are held, the Ladies Guild is frequently involved. Many of the members bake and serve refreshments for workshops, festivals, concerts, etc. 
* Christmas Decorations – during Thanksgiving week, the Ladies Guild prepares the Center and the Sanctuary for Advent. The Sanctuary balcony is adorned with a garland, live greens are placed in the windows, a large wreath is placed over the altar, and handmade Chrismons are placed on the tree.
* Liturgical Quilts – one of the Guild’s long-range projects is to make a series of quilts to be rotated through the church year. In 2005 they made a Nativity Quilt, and in 2006 they completed a Cross Quilt, for use during Lent and Easter. In 2007 a Rejoice in the Lord quilted banner was made and now hangs in the robing area entrance to the Sanctuary. * Baby Quilts – the Guild continues to sew baby quilts for each new baby born to members and friends of this church. The quilts are presented at baby showers in the Center.
* Kitchen Patrol – many church and community groups use the Center, and the Guild has tried to make the kitchen more user-friendly by posting signs. The ladies inspect the refrigerator every two weeks, and do some cleaning and re-organizing periodically. They’ve also enlisted the aid of the congregation in “leaving our church home better than we found it”!
* Parish Paper – the first Thursday of every month the Guild prepares the newsletter for mailing, and they’ve become quite the experts at folding, taping, labeling and sorting it into the proper zip code bundles.

The Ladies Guild appreciates all the extra help that is extended to us in our many projects and chores!  Thanks for your support!

(Full report of the Congregational Life Committee: More... )

Leave our church home better than you find it!

Help Us Keep Our Church Center Neat and Clean

Please help the Ladies Guild keep the Center a welcoming area for our activities and the community.  Keep refrigerator free of leftovers, and straighten up the sitting areas.  If your children enjoy playing in the nursery, help them put away all the toys. We need to keep the nursery clean and safe!

Help That Everyone Can Supply:

• If food needs to be saved for another church event, please label it with the sharpie pen on the refrigerator
• If there are coffee hour leftovers you don’t want to take home, find someone who would like to take them home. (Too often we just end up throwing away leftovers, which we hate to do!)
• Help your children enjoy playing in the nursery during coffee hour put away all the toys on the shelves or in the appropriate bins. Headstart now brings a special needs student there every day; it also helps our part time custodian, Ron, keep the floor clean.
• Straighten up the cushions, throw pillows and magazine table will greatly improve the Center’s appearance and provide a comfortable place for visitors and church family members to enjoy fellowship with each other.
• Wash the tables after use.
• Stack the hymnals and songbooks on the table near the steps after worship in the Center.

We appreciate your “helping hands” as we all strive to leave our church home better than we find it! THANK YOU for your continuing help!