View from the Pew
A look inside Hawaii's houses of worshipBy Mary Adamski
"East side, west side, all around the town," summer is the season for fund-raising sales at churches. Call it a rummage sale, a bazaar, a summer festival, this tradition of recycling used possessions is a volunteer labor-intensive effort that helps finance a variety of projects. ’Tis the season for church
sales and summer festivalsMore than a dozen treasure seekers were waiting in line last Saturday for a first crack at the eclectic assortment of items laid out in the social hall and classrooms at Harris United Methodist Church. The annual rummage sale at the downtown Honolulu church lures collectors who anticipate booty in donations from aging Asian members.
"When people move to care homes, their children bring in a lot of nice things," said volunteer Kimi Suganuma. A preview peek on the day before revealed a rack of old kimonos and a brocade swath of obi material -- all precious resources for clothing designers -- and a tea set that appeared to be real lacquer. Carved kokeshi dolls and other wooden ornaments filled a glassed display case in the white-elephant room.
Speaking of which, none of the Harris volunteers knew the source of the colorful title for things that aren't easily categorized like clothes, housewares or kids' stuff. "I think I bought more stuff than I brought," said volunteer Marge Ijima.
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Treasures such as this collectable glassware command a high price at the Church of the Holy Nativity.Across town in Aina Haina, last Saturday was auction day at the Church of the Holy Nativity. Volunteers at the church's Thrift Shop, which has been in operation for 35-plus years, believe they're the only church in town to stage an auction. They set aside the cream of contributions and accept advance bids, but the bids are often topped at auction on the first Saturday of each month.
Coralie Vellis, with experience on community theater stages, hammed it up as auctioneer. "I love to be onstage," she said, entertaining the 20 bidders and occasionally stimulating a lively competition.
A carved ivory pikake necklace and earrings brought top profit at $80. "This is for me," said Gladys Friel, who makes the rounds of thrift shops and sales seeking beads and other stitchery materials. She will then donate her creations to the St. Francis Hospice craft fair, she said.
Among the other satisfied customers were a matronly woman who paid $22 for a soccer ball-size cut-glass bowl and a young mother who scored an 18-inch all-plastic tyrannosaurus Rex telephone for the same price.
"We're in a good neighborhood for donations," said Chairwoman Barbara Morlet, with most items coming from residents in Honolulu's affluent east side. The biggest auction of the year will be Nov. 2 when Christmas items saved all year will be sold.
"A lot of folks who donate don't realize what they've got," said Vince Davi of Maui, whose wife was unopposed in her bid on a pink glass sugar and creamer set. A pre-World War II creation, it qualifies as vintage but not antique, he said.
Harris volunteer Muriel Onishi remembered when their annual effort began in the 1950s with the goal of equipping a kitchen for the church hall. "My husband was a fabric salesman, and we tried to decide how we could make money out of all the samples. So we all sewed zabutons and hot pads," she recalled.
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Barbara Morlet displays some of the collectibles that will be for sale at the Church of the Holy Nativity auction.
The continuing effort is as much about congregation fellowship as it is about funds, said Chairwoman Marilyn Van Gieson.
The volunteer corps prepared a hot lunch for workers each day for the week of preparation. More than 100 people showed up in work clothes for "grungy Sunday" when stuff was hauled out of storage. Many reconvened for post-sale labor as leftovers were boxed and taken to the Susannah Wesley Community Center outreach program. All volunteers deserved applause, but no one can top Leatrice Nitta, who stood and ironed clothes for four days.
The United Methodist Women at Harris church collected $5,000 last Saturday. Some of the money will be spent on their annual "Christmas in August" turkey-and-trimmings dinner for residents at the Institute for Human Services.
The Holy Nativity sale this month netted more than $1,100. The church will spend it and the total $80,000-plus in annual Thrift Shop proceeds on scholarships for the church elementary school and in grants to the Institute for Human Services, the Community Clearinghouse and other community organizations.
For these church folks, to recycle is a continuing cycle of good deeds.
RELIGION CALENDAR
Mary Adamski covers religion for the Star-Bulletin.
Email her at madamski@starbulletin.com.
