A sincere thank you for your participation in the Golden Celery competition. Through your efforts, we were able to raise 13,163.9 lbs. of food for the month of July. We had 13 churches compete, with a total of 17 churches collecting. Our pantry is stocked to a level it has not seen in years and it would not be so without the efforts of your congregation.
In the Gospel of Luke, Christ calls us, when we give a banquet, to “invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind. And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you, for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous” (Luke 14:13-14). Your work for the Golden Celery and in support of Crossroads Urban Center throughout the year is a shining hopeful light for the world. Your selfless giving in inviting those in need to participate in eating and in community at Crossroads is Christ’s message incarnate. Thank you for all that you do.
We have implemented a new tiered award system (bronze, silver, gold, platinum) in addition to our traditional winning category for several reasons. Primarily, we want to recognize the hard work it takes to make this drive happen. Secondarily, we hope to ignite a spark of internal competition. Rather than only competing against other communities, you can reach to attain a higher level of “celeriness” each year. In next year’s guidelines, we will indicate the poundage increments for each level. We hope this is a fun way to continue the playfulness of the Golden Celery.
Congratulations to Murray Baptist, who regained the title of Golden Celery champion! Honorable mention goes to Mount Tabor Lutheran Church, who came in at a close second. Deep appreciation, as well, to Christ United Methodist Church who donated the most total poundage. Thank you so much, again and we look forward to your participation in next year’s challenge!
