PUBLISHER’S NOTE: This article was published simultaneously on our sister site Lincoln City Church News. The not yet launched website will feature stories and events for the Lincoln City church community.
St. Peter The Fisherman Lutheran Church is hosting its yearly two-day Christmas Bazaar Friday, Nov. 1 and Saturday Nov. 2, featuring a dazzling display of quilts, aprons, reusable bags and other hand crafted items for sale to the public.
The hand crafted sale starts both days at 10 a.m. and runs until 3 p.m.
St. Peter’s Christmas Bazaar has been “going strong” since the 1980s, Church Secretary Ladonna Love said. Bazaar proceeds go towards mission projects for the church.
Mission Projects include:
- My Sister’s Place
- North Lincoln Hospice
- Lincoln County Food Pantry
- Neighbors for Kids
- Vacation Bible School
- Crisis Fund
- Seminary Students
- Bethesda Homes
- Lutheran World Relief
What started out as a small sale in a tiny wooden church, has grown into a two-day event complete with a bake sale, raffle drawing and homemade pie.
The bazaar has drawn people to Lincoln City from the valley in past years, says Church Secretary Joan Roening.
“Folks come from the valley,” she said. “It hasn’t happened for a couple years, but for several years The Grand Ronde Tribe brought a bus, and 40 people all of a sudden are in here eating lunch.”
Oregon House Rep. David Gomberg attended the event and could be seen perusing hand crafted Oregon State Beaver items.
Bazaar-goers said they enjoy the atmosphere and low prices with more than a few stating they “come for the pie.”
On the second floor of the church’s activity building, two rooms are where most of the church sewing force makes the large colorful quilts and trains new quilters.
Karen Andersen has recently taken up the mantle of learning how to sew the intricate quilts. As one of the church’s younger members she is being mentored by longtime quilt-maker and expert seamstress Florence Roberts.
The low prices on virtually every item, including the quilts, are set that way for a purpose.
“We aren’t here to get rich,” Love said. “We just want to sell.”
“The object is to raise money for our mission projects,” Roening said.
When asked about what happens to quilts that don’t sell, the secretaries said they would be donated to kids in need through Family Promise and other organizations.
St. Peter The Fisherman Lutheran Church is located at 1226 SW 13th Street in Lincoln City.
