FLC Messages and Reports 2011 - Fellowship of the Least Coin

WOMEN’S INTER-CHURCH COUNCIL OF CANADA
Greetings and blessings from Canada! Coming from my little
island Province, Newfoundland, in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean in Canada,
it is quite an honour for me to be your representative on the International
Committee for the Fellowship of the Least Coin. Actually, though, it was
from attending my first church women’s group meeting in Grand Falls,
Newfoundland in 1975 that I first experienced pennies being collected for
the Fellowship of the Least Coin. This led to my first ingathering service
the next spring in that town, attended also by groups from other religious
denominations. I was awestruck by the story of how it all first began, what it
does and what it is continuing to do. Even more amazing, is the fact that I
now represent Canada on this International Committee.
Across our country, we now have 516 groups participating in FLC and more
are joining each year. To these participants is sent each September a mailing
with the following: Ingathering Service, FLC jar labels, list of that year’s grant
recipients, prayer cards, FLC brochures, Circle of Prayer booklets and order
forms. There is also information about how to order additional resources at
minimal cost. One of the best resources I find helpful when introducing FLC
is a quick fact sheet which – in a page – tells how we came into being, what we
are about and how to be a part of this great mission to women.
Of course, this free information also comes with a price tag for us which
is greatly alleviated by our Block Grant of $5,000. WICC proudly covers
the additional costs of being the voice of the FLC in Canada. We feel it a
wonderful and worthwhile use of the grant – to spread “our good news.” Our
Women’s Interchurch Council of Canada office has great staff who look after
our resources well and promote FLC in many ways.
The Ambassador Kit, assembled in recent years, also serves us well and it’s
valuable information is distributed at group meetings, seminars, ingathering
services, on our website and in our Riding the Waves publication printed three
times yearly and with a distribution of 5,000 copies. We are proud to have
this venue to tell others the good news stories regarding our FLC grants as
well as other great news about our organization as a whole. We are especially
proud of the inclusion of topical stories from youth, who share their insights
into our changing world and show they care.
From the Canadian World Day of Prayer offerings received at WICC, we are
pleased to fill the needs of many grant requests. We were deeply touched this
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