Team Collaboration Creates Strong Mission

Ginger VanBlaricum displays twin bed cover
made from cloth shower curtains.

Every Tuesday morning, Brighton First hosts members of the community who are in need of bedding linens. Hundreds of people have been served through this ministry. Fortunately, we do not work alone, but are blessed by the collaborative assistance of many.

Our church is part of the church consortium, Love INC, whose mission is to spread Christ's love to the residents of Livingston County and to meet emergency needs. Several years ago, members of Brighton First agreed to be part of the ministry by supplying vouchers for gas and bedding supplies.

The bedding ministry is coordinated by Ginger VanBlaricum, Joanne Richardson and Carolyn Facione. They collect new and gently used bedding, make sure that it is clean and in good condition, and disperse the bedding to individuals and families.

We give thanks for the generosity of members of the Brighton First Congregation who have offered bedding, including sheets, blankets, comforters and pillows, for this ministry.

Members of Shepherd of the Lakes Church
sew bed quilts using scraps from Brighton
First's Prayers and Squares ministry.

We celebrate collaborative efforts that supply the bedding ministry. Several area churches hold bedding drives for the bedding ministry. Our United Methodist Women asked for the donation of pillows and bedding at an event they hosted. Our Prayers and Squares prayer quilt ministry sends sewing scraps to quilters at Shepherd of the Lakes Church and that group uses them and sheets donated by Bed, Bath and Beyond to make scrap quilts for the bedding ministry. Carol Glenn, a member of Brighton First, uses donated sheets from Bed, Bath, and Beyond to make pillow cases.

Recently, Milford United Methodist Church joined in the collaborative effort. There has been a shortage of twin bed quilts for men and boys. Ginger VanBlaricum, who volunteers at the Love INC warehouse, noted that the local Bed, Bath and Beyond store had donated many cloth shower curtains. She asked members of the Milford church if they could find a way to turn the shower curtains into twin bed quilts. They created beautiful bed covers.

In another creative effort to supply twin quilts, Ginger and Joanne Richardson are modifying sofa covers and creating bedspreads.

When families come to Brighton First in need of bedding, they choose from a large selection of colorful comforters and quilts, as well as sheets, pillow cases, mattress covers and pillows because of the collaborative efforts of the Brighton First congregation and many other community members.