Big Arts & Craft Sale Benefits Mission Projects of Gloria Dei Lutheran Church

The unique handmade items and homemade treats sold at the 19^th annual Arts and Craft Show will help disadvantaged children around the globe.

“We feel that this is something we’d like to do to make an impact,” said Elaine Anderson, a member of the church’s publicity committee.

More than 500 people are expected to attend the free arts and craft show, which will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday at the church, 8301 Aurora Ave., in Urbandale. The group raised more than $7,000 last year to benefit an orphanage in China, Anderson said.

“I remember the very first craft fair we started,” Anderson said, of the mission fundraiser. “It was just a few hundred dollars and now it’s thousands of dollars.”

Proceeds from the sale will pay for bibles for children in Lutheran Cambodian schools; Sunday school materials, bibles and catechisms for Russian children; a new roof for a school in India and food pantries in Des Moines and Urbandale, she said.

Something for Everyone

More than 60 vendors will sell one-of-a-kind items, such as wool mittens, quilts, stuffed animals, jewelry and more. The church will also sell pies, cakes and other baked goods. Beef burgers, pasta salad and cinnamon rolls can also be found in the café area, Anderson said.

“People are welcome to sit down and enjoy some coffee and pie,” said Anderson, who has been a member of the church for 20 years.   

Members of the Gloria Dei Lutheran Women on a Mission Committee choose the projects to support by a ballot process.

“I just think it’s done with a lot of love and effort by our members,” Anderson said, of the sale. “Our whole church gets involved.”

Urbandale Church of God and Christ Free Spaghetti Dinner

Another Urbandale church is also helping children. A monthly spaghetti dinner will be held from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Oct. 12 by the 3530 70^th St.

A church member organized the dinner as a way feed Urbandale children who might not have enough to eat, said Senior Pastor David Sickelka. Spaghetti is served until it runs out, he said. The dinner is held on the second Wednesday of each month.