It is a great pleasure for me to be here today.
You have heard by now that the Sustainable Finances Task Group has identified four Session sanctioned Fund-Raising adventures at St. Andrews. The impetus to change our standard budgeting and financial methods was driven by the Congregation at the Annual General Meeting. Today I’d like to tell you about the revival of the famous Meat Pie campaign.
In the recent past, Karen Nixon along with the Beth McIntosh Groups’ oversight led this magnificent legacy and literally "thousands" of meat pies were sold in short order. Karen’s skills at St. Andrews are both legendary and earned through years of dedicated hard work. Karen created a standard of performance that saw her lead numerous groups over many years. Karen had the vision to use her personal missions to be a game changer. The Beth Macintosh Group reaches farther into our past and created a heritage record of financing so many projects that it is truly amazing. Throughout the years these dedicated women invented ways to keep us functioning through their charitable work. The sum result of all these efforts was people using personal missions to change the way we do business here at St Andrews.
I would like to grasp the opportunity to congratulate us on launching these outstanding fundraising campaigns in which you can make a difference in the future of our church. Your donations, in any, amount can be the game changer we need to get ahead for years, maybe forever. The monies raised by selling meat pies, soups and tapas will go directly to offset the budget shortfall. I am honored to thank all: volunteers, sponsors, organizers and private persons, who see the need for St Andrews to endure. In short Karen Kincaid and her helpers have created a sustainable heritage at New Hope Clothing and need us to sustain the building that lets her move her mission forward. The Thursday night supper group depend on a place to feed a group of friends we see every week. The residents of Hespeler now rely on how we take care of them. In uncertain times some remarkable people have taken the chance to make a difference.
OK so here’s the details – you will have received a package outlining the program and products today or we will make sure you get a package. In early October I met two women who run Delicious and Nutritious a small business that makes meat pies, soups, tapas as well as sweet pies. Kerri Prong and Nancy Holbrook have a personal mission too; they make hand-made meat pies in Forest Ontario. Almost exclusively they create their meals to supply fundraisers throughout Ontario. They have a fair history of an enduring mission of their own. The offerings are many and multiple sizes are available as you see fit. So you’re saying “wonder what the pies are like?” Right? To answer this question two dates have been reserved to try the product and make up your own mind. Wednesday, October 19 at the Family dinner downstairs in the hall I will present a selection of pies for your tasting pleasure. On October 30 at the anniversary celebration after, worship my lovely wife Debbie and I will again present the meat pies and some soups for your evaluation.
Orders must be in by November 13th. You decide the pickup date for your meat pies either November 26, 27 or 28. Other arrangements can be made if you add comments to the order form in the box provided. Oh wait there are also discounts for bulk purchases – buy six 5” pies and save OR buy 6 soups and save more. I’m sure you have questions and so I will be downstairs today to try and answer if I can. Volunteers will be downstairs every Sunday from today until November 13 to help expedite your orders. You may leave your orders: with the church office during office hours, drop them on the collection plate, email them to me, or bring them to fellowship after worship. Payment will be accepted when you pick up your order – cash (exact change would help greatly) or cheques made payable to St Andrews Hespeler. It was my intention to recreate the meat pies you all know and cherish but reality is we cannot reproduce what Karen Nixon and the Beth Macintosh group created all those years ago. Roadblocks like: the costs to make pies, box, label and bag the pies, labeling requirements, allergy issues, Health and Safety concerns with surprise food inspections, the volume of volunteers required for 3 – 4 full days and the idea of doing this multiple times.
Keri and Nancy in Forest can deliver some flexibility to sell meat pies whenever we want and to scale the fundraiser in ways that are unavailable onsite in Hespeler. Relationships like this are rare and far between. I like to think that the pies are like homemade but you will be the judges.
In closing, I wish to thank all of you, our sponsors and donors, for your donations. Let’s go on building the bonds of friendship and goodness through cooperation and mutual respect. Thank you all for being with us, joining us, and supporting our beginnings.
To quote an anonymous writer; “when courage, genius, and generosity hold hands, all things are possible.”
Rob COS
