Letter from the Chair
October 17, 2024
Friends,
It is October, the Fall of the year. Everyone is busy. Farmers are finishing harvest and sowing
wheat for next year’s crop. Gardeners are completing the summer’s work, finishing the picking and
preserving. Teachers and students have been back in school for a while, and the routine of this school
year is settling in. Athletes and coaches are practicing and preparing for the next contest so they can
perform with confidence and purpose. Families are looking forward to the holidays that are a part of the
rest of the year. And, some of us will be planning and carrying out the responsibilities of our Sale
commitment.
For the people who make the KMRS happen, we are getting ready to Kick Off our preparations for the
2025 sale which will take place on April 11 and 12. Our Kick Off meeting will be held at Eden
Mennonite Church on Thursday, November 14th at 7:00 PM. It is when we gather together to set goals
and remember the purpose of the Kansas Mennonite Relief Sale. We need to touch base and recommit
ourselves to thinking about the work of Mennonite Central Committee engaging in the work of relief,
development and peace.
One of the things I ask you to do is to remember the Sale in prayer. We work preparing for the Sale for
several months. We work to stitch quilts, create crafts, order t-shirts, gather together the recipe
ingredients, consider donations of our goods and our money. Prayer helps us to sort things out in our
minds and in our spirit. As we work together, may we pray together for guidance, strength, faith, and
direction. Our task is a holy one, let us remember to do things “in the name of Christ”.
Another thing I ask you to do is to make announcements in your churches, to your family, in your
communities. As we start to move from the memory of the 2024 Sale, we need to let people know about
the 2025 Sale. Let them know the dates of the Sale, the needs of people around the world, and the ways
they might volunteer and become involved. Encourage all to consider making a gift of time, a gift of
money, a gift of talent, a donation to be sold, so that funds can be accumulated to help the world become
a better place.
The last thing I ask of you is to help us get ready for the 2025 Sale. Let us know if you have questions.
Take a look at the web site and Facebook page. Remember the taste of the ethnic food, the array of things
at the Silent Auction, the beauty and complexity of over 200 beautiful quilts, the array of tractors, cars
and trucks, the joy of the Children’s Auction, and the joy of seeing old friends and making new ones.
The Kansas Mennonite Relief Sale means many things to many people. For me it is the opportunity to
serve God in a meaningful way. It is a chance to help others around the world. I may not be able to
travel overseas or to serve for an extended time but I can volunteer to help with the Sale. I encourage
you all to continue to volunteer or to volunteer for a new task or in a new way.
We are the hands and feet of Jesus. Let us reflect the light of Jesus as we prepare for the Sale. Blessings
to you all…let us walk with Jesus…let is sow seeds of hope and let us listen with our hearts.
Jim Robb, KMRS Board Chair