Edgerton and Wainwright Vestries Offer "Seed of Hope" to Church Families

Members from St. Thomas’, Wainwright and St. Mary’s, Edgerton churches reached out to one another on May 3, to show they are all one and able to support each other – especially in this time of COVID-19.

Vestry members were immediately supportive of a project to deliver a “Seed of Hope” flower pot, with a notecard: “We are holding you on our hearts and in our prayers,” and contact information attached, to every parish family. One person offered to paint the pots, another offered to supply seed from her own plants and others offered to deliver the pots. The biggest challenge was finding pots. We purchased all the 4” terra cotta pots in Wainwright and could have used more.

The Sunday service on May 3, via YouTube, included a blessing of soil, seed, water and herds by rector Ann Marie Nicklin. She blessed five pots placed front and center to represent all the pots. Then she blessed the soil for the pots, Marigold seeds planted five to a pot, and the water which was poured over the pots. A vase and a carnation were placed in the center of the pots carrying on the annual tradition of giving all women in the church a carnation on Mother’s Day. The blessing of the herds was done with a picture of a brand new calf and its mom on one of the farms in the parish.

The delivery team arrived early in the afternoon to pick up the flower pots. A total of 115 pots were delivered to parishioners between Edgerton and Wainwright. The response from recipients was overwhelmingly positive. Someone even posted a rave in the local “rant and rave” page on Facebook. All were thrilled with this reminder that we are all one in this and that our churches can help each other through this.

Photos: Allan Samm, a member of the St. Thomas, Wainwright delivery team holding a couple of the carnations that were given to every household a week before Mother’s Day; vestry members painted and planted 115 “Seed of Hope” pots which were blessed by rector Ann Marie Nicklin during the Sunday service, May 3, via YouTube. A note was attached to each pot before being delivered to members of St. Mary’s and St. Thomas’ parishes.