Mixes: Bean soup, muffin and pancake mixes, friendship tea, herbs, dry ingredients for bread machine specialty breads or cookies (recipes available at http://allrecipes.com/directory/572.asp).

Canned goods: Jellies and jams, soups, vegetables, ice cream toppings, salsa, pasta sauce, relishes and pickles.

Other edibles: Granola, biscotti, peppernuts, gourmet crackers, noodles, party mix, dried fruit or tomatoes.

Sachets, coasters, or hot pads filled with potpourri or scented with oils.

Scented soaps or candles.

Cards (Christmas or all-occasion) or calendars: Ask children from your church to provide artwork and an artistic person to help with design.

A book of women’s wisdom: Ask each woman in your church to contribute a saying or piece of advice from a mentor, mother, sister, or daughter. Appoint someone to edit the book, and solicit illustrations from several artists among you. A desktop publishing program is helpful but not necessary. This book would be an excellent gift for new members.

If your group donates quilts or other items to a relief sale or auction, display your work at church two or three weeks prior to delivering the items to the sale; you may attract new buyers! Ask your pastor to lead the congregation in a prayer of dedication for these items, asking God’s blessing on the good made possible by their sale.

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