Handmade Bags, Shared Purpose
Submitted by Pastor Gary Walbert, Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Northampton
Every fall brings “School Kit Time” to Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Northampton. Through donations, sewing, and a morning of working together, the congregation supports Lutheran World Relief’s school kit ministry.
Barbara Wiemann has coordinated the program since 2015, continuing a ministry previously led by the congregation’s Women of the ELCA group. Each July, she invites members to donate supplies or money to purchase them, along with sturdy boxes for shipping the completed kits.
Preparation begins well before assembly day. Members donate fabric and sew bags, threading more than 3,000 feet of drawstring cord through them to create book bags.
On September 17, 2026, volunteers gathered in the church’s Scout room, where Scout Troop 40 had everything set up. Together, they removed packaging, assembled kits, and packed 297 school kits into 35 boxes in just 90 minutes. Each kit contained notebooks, crayons, safety scissors, pencils, a pencil sharpener, erasers, pens, and a ruler.
The gathering also provided time for fellowship as volunteers worked side by side.
From 2015 through 2026, Good Shepherd has assembled 1,517 school kits and 111 personal kits. Preparations for next year are already underway, with members collecting fabric and beginning to sew bags. The congregation hopes to assemble 350 school kits next year.
For Good Shepherd, the ministry offers many ways to serve. Each donation, handmade bag, and hour spent together contributes to the congregation’s continuing commitment to be a blessing to neighbors in need.
Thank you, Pastor Walbert, for allowing us to share your congregation's story
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