Bridgton Alliance Church's second annual SPARK week kicked off today with a food drive at Food City grocery store.  Several people from our church banded together outside this locally owned store to collect nonperishables and cash donations to go toward our church's community food pantry.  Linda Ridlon headed up the drive, and she did an excellent job organizing the three hour event.

Sue, Rose and I were there and we juggled beside the display for two hours.  Fire balls, knives and torches flew through the air as shoppers came by.  This added a real draw to our display, and many people were generous.  we ended the day with two shopping carts full of nonperishable food items ranging from tuna fish to cookies as well as over $85 in cash.  This can go a long way in helping the hungry in our community.

Of course, being a local event in our home town, we saw many people we know.  We also met up with the head of the food distribution ministry from the Methodist Church.  We compared notes as to how our two churches and other local congregations have been doing in this all important service ministry. 

A young man who acknowledged he benefits from local food ministries donated a package of dessert shells, saying he knows what he would like to get when he benefits from a food pantry.  We talked quite a bit, and I invited him to a community show Rose and I would be  doing Thursday evening at our library, also part of SPARK.  He said he wants to come, and also asked about our church.  I was able to give him information about services.  It's interesting how an event meant to be a service ministry turned into an evangelism event without that being the intent.

Two little children came by and dropped in a few coins; the manager of the store gave a large amount of groceries; we were even approached by one of the coordinators of the second annual Bridgton Folk Festival, and we are now booked to juggling there later this month.  SPARK is off and running, and, if this is an indication, it will be a great week!