Holidays are filled with traditions communities come to look forward to each year. One of those in the Golden Triangle is the Handworks Bazaar at Starkville First United Methodist Church. The 12th annual bazaar is set for Friday, Nov. 10, from 9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. in the church’s Christian Life Center. More than 35 artisans will offer handcrafted items. All proceeds benefit Starkville’s Habitat for Humanity, an ongoing mission project for the church congregation.
“Our church is a covenant partner of Habitat,” said Suzanne Dressel, bazaar chair. The goal is to raise enough to pay for a complete house build every three to four years, she added.
Bazaar vendors fall generally into five categories — jewelry, art, pottery, food and miscellaneous, which includes home decor such as doors signs and monogrammed wreaths, explained Dressel.
A sampling of goods includes items by local jewelry designers, hand-poured candles and crocheted and sewn items. Shoppers will find stained glass ornaments, wind chimes and nativity scenes, as well as woodworkers with custom toys, cutting boards and rocking horses. Food vendors will sell syrups, jams, jellies and salsas. Vendors donate door prizes for drawings held every half hour, Dressel said. Local musicians will entertain throughout the day, and hungry shoppers will be well taken care of.
“Every member of the church is asked to donate a homemade baked good for the Sweet Shoppe, and women of the church volunteer to prepare food for lunch,” said Dressel, noting that lunch will be offered from 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Shoppers may eat in a designated dining area, or get food to go. The Sandwich Shoppe will serve coffee and snacks all day. Frozen casseroles, prepared by Carole Lehman and Connie Ford, will also be available for purchase.
For a large congregation like FUMC, mission projects such as the bazaar provide an opportunity for members to get to know not only community members better, but each other as well, all while enjoying themselves and doing God’s work to help others, Dressel said.
“The bazaar is a happy place, where you meet old friends and make new ones,” she remarked.
The Handworks Bazaar is free to attend. For more information, contact Dressel at [email protected] or Kathryn Laughlin at [email protected].
The church is located at 200 W. Lampkin St. in Starkville.
Jan Swoope is the Lifestyles Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.
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