Support group raises $8000 for missions

The Mission Support Group at Ettalong Uniting Church Hall raised $8098 last year for missions both at home and overseas, according to group president Ms Phyllis Saunders.

"Last year, the group had a very busy year raising funds for Mission both at home and overseas," Ms Saunders said.

"Our Christmas and Mothers Day Fetes were a great success due to the hard work of our members both beforehand and on the day.

"As usual during November, we received Christmas gifts for teenagers.

"These were forwarded to Dalmar for distribution to disadvantaged families."

Ms Saunders said the February meeting took the form of a bus trip to and inspection of the Burnside Homes site at North Parramatta.

"June saw our annual sausage sizzle.

"Our annual luncheon was held in July with a good attendance.

"Guest speaker was Richard Stewart who spoke of the work being done by Frontier Services.

"At our annual church service, two of our members spoke to us about their experiences in the Outback."

One of a visiting group of South Koreans spoke briefly and the group entertained with their singing during morning tea.

"Earlier in the year, an interesting talk was given by Colin and Jill Bakon who were home on leave from Ecuador, on the work they are doing in that country.

"Following our August meeting, a DVD was screened on the work done to help Ethiopian women in the Fistula Hospital in Addis Ababa."

Ms Saunders said members and friends had been busy all through the year knitting squares and sewing them together to make rugs for distribution both here and overseas.

"Many bandages and stump socks have been knitted for leprosy patients," Ms Saunders said.

"These have been posted to various leprosy hospitals.

"By the end of the financial year, we had raised a total of $8098.

"We have recently held our first meeting of the year and are in the process of planning 12 months of activities.

"We are only a small group and our greatest need is for more members."

The Mission Support Group meets at Ettalong Uniting Church Hall at 1:30pm on the third Tuesday of each month.

Press release, 8 March 2007 Sue Webster, Broken Bay Mission Support Group