Bethany Fosdyck Freeport Mennonite Church (FMC) is blessed to be able to host the Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) Canner again this year. It is hard to believe that we are preparing for the seventh year in our new facility and the third year with the new mobile canner. We continue to try to increase the number of new faces each year and make lasting relationships while helping feed those in need. Along with the canning side comes the need to raise funds to make this project happen and to help feed those in need.
Throughout the year, especially during the month of November, we collect donations for the meat canning project. The Canning Ministry at Freeport Mennonite is an above budget project, so it is all done by donations. The more donations we receive the more people we are able to help. We are excited to announce that we have been given three days to can again this year. We will be canning again this year in December. This will still be a time to gather together to can meat, wash, label, and box cans, and enjoy the fellowship of friends and family.
We will once again take advantage of our bigger and warmer building and will work on making comforters during the day to send to MCC. This will allow those that are unable to help with the canning process to be able to participate in helping those in need. These comforters not only provide warmth to those that receive them, but knowledge that it was made with loving hands. We will also have a quilt top to finish and once it is finished the quilt will be donated to the MCC Relief Sale in Bloomington.
As the 71st year of meat canning begins, FMC and MCC are once again encouraging others to get involved with this mission project. It doesn’t matter what church we attend, we are here to serve. As we look around locally and world-wide we see people suffering and wonder how we can help. It’s as easy as “can” be, for approximately $2.75 we fill one can or for approximately $66.00 we can fill a box and ship it. We could also volunteer our time for an hour (or more) and help can approximately 350 cans. I would challenge you to embrace the call to meet the needs of those in need.
Once again, we would like to open this project to the community and area churches. If you or anyone in your church would like to serve in this way, we will be canning December 18-20, 2017 (Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday) at Freeport Mennonite Church, 3416 E Brick School Rd., Freeport, IL 61032. If you don’t have time to help but are interested in seeing what happens at “meat canning” or would like to see the portable canner, feel free to contact Larry Pfile (Meat Canning Coordinator) at (815) 449-2516, Chad Weber (Assistant Canning Coordinator) at (815) 291-6382 or David Graybill (Assistant Canning Coordinator) at (815) 238-7208. If you are interested in someone coming to talk about the canning project at your church or group please feel free to contact one of the above individuals.
Last year, MCC canned at over 30 different sites in the United States and Canada from the beginning of October 2016 – April 2017 and shipped over 637,896 cans of meat during April 1 – March 31. Freeport Mennonite Church produced 19,742 cans from 30,046 pounds of turkey last year. Ten percent of the cans were held back for local missions at Freeport Area Church Cooperative (FACC), Rockford Rescue Mission, Joseph’s Pantry in Freeport, Firehouse of God Ministries of Sterling, and Faith Community Church of Davis. MCC distributed canned meat produced at Freeport in Ethiopia this year. Each year MCC continues to identify the needs in the United States and around the world.
As I close, I would like to say that this mission project is very much needed around the world. I would encourage each one of you to be a part of this year’s canning project. Some of the canning shifts fill up fast, so I encourage you to call and sign up for a shift before they are filled. Call (815) 291-6382 to sign up.
Again this year, we are working on providing on-line signup/scheduling for shifts on Freeport Mennonite Church’s new website. Keep watching at www.freeportmennonite.com.
May God bless you,
Chad Weber
Assistant Canning Coordinator, Freeport Mennonite Church