Organizers from First Baptist Church will be gathering at the Rock House, adjacent to the church on Main Street, for a yard and baked goods sale this Saturday morning in an effort to raise funds for a week-long summer mission project.

An assortment of items donated by church members will be available for purchase along with baked goods and plenty of on-site refreshments. The sale is scheduled for 7 a.m. until noon and will be held rain or shine. In the event of weather, items will be moved to the shelter of the Rock House.

“We should have plenty of children’s clothing and toys,” noted Marilyn Thomas, one of several participants who will be taking part in the mission project. “We’ll also have men’s and women’s clothing along with household items and some furniture and appliances. There should be a nice assortment of items and baked goods.”

Proceeds from the day will help to fund 11 adults and 2 youths from the church who will be taking part in a “World Changers” mission project. Participants are required to pay a fee, take advance study sessions and complete a “pre-project” that meets a need in their own community. Details of that project have yet to be finalized.

The group will then travel to Rockingham County on July 5-10 as a part of over 300 youths and adults from churches across the country. They will join an organized effort to make needed repairs on 30 homes in the area, most of which will require roofing.

While the church has undertaken other short term mission trips, this will be the first time they have joined in a World Changers effort. Thomas, however, has personally been a part of a prior World Changers project and is excited about the potential for this summer’s trip.

“These trips provide an opportunity for our youths to work alongside Christian adults,” she explained. “They see that not everyone has the same advantages they have and they learn that in order to meet spiritual needs, you need to also meet a person’s physical needs. It’s good for both the youths and the adults.”

“When I went before,” Thomas recalls, “I received such a blessing. More than likely, we’ll be divided and won’t be working with our own church. We could be working alongside people from anywhere in the country. It’s a blessing to me to see young people who are willing to earn the money to go and then to give up a week of their summer for this. I think that says a lot about our youth.”