Wednesday, June 05, 2013

Free yard sale items, activities welcome attendees

By GRETCHEN PHILLIPS
Staff Writer

 

Redeeming Life Ministries International in Port Tobacco exemplified Christ’s teachings that to give is better than to receive.

During its Community Fun Day on Saturday, the church hosted a no-sale yard sale that provided many with an opportunity to get clothes, shoes and other items at no cost.

Church overseer Daniel Salley said the congregation has been at the Port Tobacco location for a little more than a year but that it has been together for several years. The congregation is reaching out to the community to let them know what they are about and to get to know the community, he said.

The Rev. Barbara Salley, church pastor, said that one of the church objectives is to “demonstrate the love of God.” One way to show that love, she said, was with the community event.

“It’s wonderful,” said Jamila Snider of Waldorf, who was driving past the church on her way to a Boy Scouts event, saw what looked like a yard sale and decided to check it out because she was looking for summer clothes for her family.

Snider dropped her son off at his event and drove back to the church to discover that there was no actual sale, but free items.

She said it was nice of the church to take time and have an event for the community.

At no cost to the public were food, games, a police dog demonstration and music.

“We are a friendly and welcoming church,” said church elder Edna Vincent. She said that the 250-member, nondenominational congregation wants to let the community know it is there.

Vincent and a few other women sat in folding chairs in the shade just outside the church doors and acted as unofficial greeters for the day.

“We’re welcoming everybody as they walk up. Welcoming them to our no-sale yard sale,” she said.

gphillips@somdnews.com