Methodist Soup Kitchen, St. Paul’s Boutique welcome holiday season shoppers

November 14, 2007
Santa Paula News

Holiday season shoppers got a preview of what’s to come at two special boutiques, held November 3, with St. Paul’s Episcopal/Emmanuel Lutheran Churches’ Holiday Boutique and the First United Methodist Church Women’s Holiday Bazaar, which also featured the popular Soup Kitchen.

By Peggy KellySanta Paula TimesHoliday season shoppers got a preview of what’s to come at two special boutiques, held November 3, with St. Paul’s Episcopal/Emmanuel Lutheran Churches’ Holiday Boutique and the First United Methodist Church Women’s Holiday Bazaar, which also featured the popular Soup Kitchen.At St. Paul’s Episcopal/Emmanuel Lutheran Churches Holiday Boutique, Pattie Donham, AKA Pattie Wack, was admiring an unusual holiday wreath decorated with costume jewelry and featuring a large angel. “It’s saying ‘Take me home, Pattie Wack, take me home!’ It’s so unusual,” said the designer. “It’s art... and I like the spirit of it.”Beautiful little things filled the church hall, including glass decorations, pinwheels and handmade linens and knits. Art, gift tags and candles were spread around the room, circled by Christmas trees showing off more decorative wares.“I’m buying ornaments” to supplement those Christmas checks sent to nieces with a “little gift with thoughts of love,” said Jane Marcus.Six women contributed items to the boutique, and Marilyn Harvey said Mary Dybvig, wife of Pastor Ron Dybvig, coordinated the effort. “Different people do different things and do so wonderfully,” noted Harvey of the hundreds of handmade items available for purchase.
Even by only 10:30 a.m. the 4th Annual St. Paul’s Episcopal/Emmanuel Lutheran Churches’ Holiday Boutique, held to benefit the Building Fund and the Combined Choir, promised to be a success. “We’ve done pretty well so far this morning,” said Harvey, as shoppers lined up at the cashiers’ table.“I’m here for the soup and the beautiful things I don’t need,” said Becci Orlando at the First United Methodist Women’s Annual Holiday Bazaar & Soup Kitchen. Rev. Paul Kim was excited at the crowd circulating in the large church hall: “Shop Santa Paula!” he noted as he hurried by a group of shoppers.Doris Bickett was helping with the Soup Kitchen, where for only $7 diners received homemade beef and vegetable soup, a roll, piece of pie and coffee or other liquid refreshments poured by Gordon Welsh. Welsh said he wasn’t sure when the annual event started, but after a quick consultation with Peggy Grainger he had an answer: “Peggy said it probably started in the 1920s.”No matter how long the event has been in existence, what brings back the crowd year after year is the “soup,” said Welsh. “And people like Granny’s Attic,” featuring trash and treasures, and “especially the crafts the women make... I just help them.”The Bazaar offered a handcrafted array of decorative items, linens, produce, jams/jellies and a bake sale, and, of course, dozens of Christmas decorations. All proceeds benefited First United Methodist Women’s programs and projects.



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