When is a rummage and bake sale more than just selling used items and cookies and pies?

When it also strengthens the community and world.

The United Methodist Church of Geneva’s rummage sale, which has developed over the last 60 years, now helps to care for the Earth. At least 80 volunteers, most of them church members, have worked tirelessly to prepare the donated items for sale. The church directs the proceeds—usually totaling thousands of dollars—to charities outside of the church.

Shoppers explore a room full of treasures.

This past April’s sale set a sales record of more than $20,000, which will benefit local, national, and international charities.

It takes an army to pull off a rummage sale of this magnitude, but the volunteers like the work and enjoy meeting new people. Experienced workers pair with newer ones to teach them the tasks.

“It’s a great way to meet new people, catch up with old friends, and make a difference in people’s lives,” says Jenean Larsen, one of the primary organizers.

It takes an entire week to prepare and staff the sale during its run. On Monday, volunteers set up tables and clothes racks. The next two days are spent accepting donations, sorting them, and setting them on display. (A longtime church member, Joan Hansen, organizes a lunch for the volunteers from Tuesday through Friday.)

On Thursday morning, goods for the bake sale roll in from 9 a.m. until noon and are displayed and priced. The sale opens on Thursday from six to eight p.m. Volunteers greet and direct customers, check out their purchases, and help on the sales floor. The sale continues from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday and 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday.

Shoppers say they find the sale fun to visit. And that they can’t believe the deals they get Saturday mornings, when they can fill a bag for just $8. One woman said she got 35 items (valued at $75) in the $8 bag—with a spice cake as well!

The benefits of this rummage sale go far beyond the money it raises for charity. The church does not send unsold items to a landfill. Rather, it gives usable donations to those who need them. They take unusable but recyclable items to the Kane County Recycling Center.

TriCity Family Services thanks UMCG for donating to the organization some of the rummage sale proceeds.

This is part of the church’s commitment to environmental protection. Geneva formed its Creation Care Committee in 2021, seeking to help The United Methodist Church achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.

“It is incredible how we see the entire church, individuals and committees, embrace a way to walk through our world in a gentler way,” says Debbie Karr, a committee member. “The rummage sale, which has always been a way to reuse and repurpose unwanted items, now also focuses on how the unsold items can make a positive impact on the community and environment.”

Any items left unsold are carefully loaded up and donated to various groups serving the community. Among these are animal shelters, Hesed House, World Relief and other organizations serving refugees, and a new one this year: Furnishing Futures, which helps furnish the homes for the recently homeless. Books and DVDs/CDs go to local libraries.

“At UMCG, we believe that every act of generosity can be a spark of God’s grace in the world,” explains Pastor Rob Hamilton, senior pastor. “Through this record-breaking rummage sale, we’re not just recycling goods; we’re renewing lives, serving our neighbors, and caring for creation. It’s a powerful example of how we fill our commitment to people, purpose, and planet as we come together to illuminate our community with God’s love.”