FARMINGTON – Once there was a tree that held scarves and hats and gloves for those in need to take free of charge, and the tree was happy, as the ode to Shel Silverstein might suggest.
At the very least, the tree stood as Old South’s efforts to extend a bit of help to those in need. The Giving Tree that stands on the lawn of one of the many churches in downtown Farmington is adorned with winter accessories free for the taking in lieu of ornaments and a star. In past years, the South Church’s youth group has organized the annual Coat and Cupboard event, during which families could come and take winter clothes, last year giving away 100 pairs of boots and 225 coats. But pandemic restrictions made the event unattainable this year, leaving the church with a surplus of donations.
“We had an open house in November, where we laid clothes out on the lawn, but we felt like we probably didn’t reach everyone. It wasn’t enough,” said Youth and Children’s Ministries Director, Jodie Gunther. Soon after realizing this, in collaboration with the church’s minister, Marraine Kettell, the Giving Tree was erected as a solution.
“Every day I go out there to put out new stuff and often people have left things there to be taken as well, even a new coat and an artificial Christmas tree still in the box. It seems to be getting some pretty good interaction. But we by no means expect donations. That’s not what this is about,” said Gunther.
The Old South Church will also be hosting a coat giveaway on Sunday Dec. 20 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., where free coats will be hung over the porch railing of the Holman Mission House. The Giving Tree will be up through mid-January for people to use any time they may need.
While the traditional indoor Christmas Eve service will not be held this year, Old South is organizing alternatives for the evening. There will be a prerecorded service available on Facebook at 6 p.m. for viewers to attend. There will also be a live service held outside of the church at 4:30, where masks are required, social distancing is enforced, and humming is encouraged during the singing portion of the half-hour service.
“People were looking to see each other in some way, and we wanted to find something accessible,” said Kettell.
Despite an expected small turnout and many alterations to the traditional Christmas Eve service of past years, which often gathered 200 people in attendance, it was still important for Old South Church to find some way to allow congregation members to celebrate the season.
“The Christmas Eve service is so ingrained in us. Not having something in the sanctuary is a loss, and there’s a grief in the loss of the experience,” said Kettell.
Old South Church’s goal this season is to mend where they can and offer some respite to the hardships of the past year, the Giving Tree and the Christmas Eve service options being only a few efforts.
In Gunther’s opinion, “The church is where the light needs to be coming from, especially these days.”
