First Church Reaches Out Lakota Reservation

17 Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it.”

Luke 18:17

Congratulations to the First Congregational Church - United Church of Christ (First Church) on the very successful Palm Sunday collection for Shower My Bebela. ‛Bebela’ is Lakota for ‘baby.’ Shower My Bebela is an organization created by Gail Marie Utk Etzkorn, of the Cheyenne River Sioux (Lakota) nation in South Dakota. The infant mortality rate on the reservation is the highest in the state of South Dakota.

The Mission Committee of First Church decided to have their annual Palm Sunday Missions Collection on behalf of Shower My Bebela by collecting baby items. First Church members and friends collected over 300 pieces of clothing and other items. Donations will be shipped from hawkwing’s hub in Glastonbury, CT. On Saturday, June 3rd, the truck will be loaded to deliver donations to the Cheyenne River Sioux (Lakota) Reservation in South Dakota. hawkwing is an 501(c)3 organization founded by Rochelle Ripley.

Jean Trotman, Moderator of First Church, shares, “When I saw all that had been donated (and displayed so beautifully) I was impressed.” There had been some hesitation to displaying diapers in the sanctuary. Jean continues, “As to seeing diapers, how can you have a baby shower without diapers? It seemed normal to me. We could see what had been donated which we wouldn’t have if they hadn’t been displayed.”

The First Congregational Church of South Windsor is located at 993 Main Street. Worship Service is at 10:00 a.m. on Sundays. Children join in the first portion of the worship service and then participate in their multi-graded classes.

For more information about the First Congregational Church of South Windsor, please visit www.firstchurchsw.org or on Facebook. For more information about Shower My Bebela, please visit http://www.showermybebela.org/. For more information about hawkwing, please visit www.hawkwing.org.