We just wanted to let you know that we are still working away to finish up our orders for Gingerbread churches and for chocolate bark. We had a successful day at our St Luke's Christmas Market as seen here in the smiles of Jane, Alan and Sarah.  We still have some of both left, but don't delay as they are all going quickly.  The bark is $6 and has been bought as stocking stuffers and as hostess gifts.  Most successful sales on this item.




Also we have our gorgeous cards that Marilyn Barnes produces from her beautiful art.  Various prices and a wonderful gift.

Be sure to come to the worship service at St Luke's on December 4th for our El Hogar Day.  You will hear updates on El Hogar, and be able to purchase these items.

 These are a busy few weeks for the team as we scramble to get all of our products ready for sale starting this Saturday at the St Luke's Christmas Market.  We have constructed and decorated and wrapped many gingerbread churches hoping to reach last year's total of about 150.  Each one is unique and attractive with some of the decorators getting a little competitive!  Actually, I think they get better every year.  Cost is $25.

We have stored them in every possible corner of the church hall and have the word of the clergy that they will watch closely over the ones that are stored in their offices!  

Last year we tried out making bark (Bark for El Hogar!) and it was quite successful.  We have made double the amount this year.  They make perfect gifts for the hostess, the mailman, the neighbour and the babysitter.  Only $6 and there are about 6 varieties.  Once again, we are thankful to our friend Kerry, who has her own chocolate business. Her knowledge of how to melt and temper the chocolate at the right temperature and to perfect the bark was invaluable for our product.  Thank you Kerry.  http://www.thechocolatedoctor.ca/ 

It is now autumn in Ontario and that means that the El Hogar team is now planning our next mission trip to El Hogar in Tegucigalpa, Honduras.  El Hogar de Amor y Espernza - the home of love and hope whose mission is to transform and empower abandoned and hopelessly poor children in Honduras by providing a loving home and education.  Our next trip is taking place at the end of April and so our planning and fundraising now begins.  What would a Christmas be without our famous Gingerbread churches?  They will be first available for sale at our St Luke's Christmas Market on November 19.  

We have been baking like crazy.  Making parts for 150 churches and houses.  It takes hours to get to this point, but now we are beginning to construct. We use this time to team build and know that the hours we put into this is for the children in Honduras, so that they may " fulfill their ultimate potential as productive, caring and independent Honduran citizens" which is from the El Hogar mission statement. 

Go to http://www.elhogar.org/ , the official website to see all that is happening there.  The latest academic marks of the children are posted for you to check out and in another week, graduation takes place to mark the end of the school year. 

Stay tuned for some pictures of the graduation and of the progress of our churches.