PERSONALIZED MINISTRY: The Cardmakers of Chapel Hill

Volunteerism is a funny thing. Sometimes a call goes out for volunteer help and, for whatever reason, it feels like asking people to enter an active volcano to get them to respond. But at other times God really gets behind something and a freshwater spring of a movement is born. So it has been with one of Chapel Hill’s newest volunteer groups, our cardmakers.

When the need for people to join together to make personalized greeting cards for the church was made public a couple of months ago, no one knew what to expect. Would there be people out there with the time and skill to help make the thank you and encouragement and get well cards the church uses so many of? It was anybody’s guess.

Lo and behold, there was plenty of interest in doing such a thing. Two experienced cardmakers, Pat Oliver and Robyn Luckenbill, stepped forward to serve as group coordinators, and 18 others signed up to meet regularly and put their card construction talents to use for their church.

Pat had already put in a lot of time making cards for Chapel Hill. She has made cards for the Cancer Care group for the past ten years, and has also spent time making cards for MOPS. It’s clearly something she’s passionate about.

Robyn says that the purpose of the group is “to be a resource and support for the ministries of Chapel Hill, to make ministry more personal. We provide cards for people who are touching people.” And in the meantime, the cardmakers themselves benefit by being in community with one another. “It turns out to be the small group many of the ladies had been searching for,” says Robyn.

And as it also turns out, it’s not just cards the ladies have been asked to make. They’ve made confirmation and graduation cards so far. But their next big assignment is to produce 1200 gift tags for this year’s Christmas Giving Tree. That’s a lot of paper and ribbon!

Pat and Robyn encourage anyone who has an interest in this ministry to come join in the fun. No experience or materials are necessary to get started. And staff is encouraged to request cards for special occasions they might have. They meet the 4^th Wednesday of each month from 2­-8pm, and encourage people to come whenever they can and stay for as long as they wish during that time.