God's Storehouse
a mission outreach program of the
Weldon United Methodist Church
Pastor: Brian Mark
Articles
Kern Valley Sun - December 3, 2005
Kern Valley History
Weldon Methodist was known as 'the church by the side of the road'
by Bob Powers
If any one thing could be said to be typical of the South Fork of the Kern
River, it would be the Methodist Church at Weldon. Sitting alongside Highway
178, with its backdrop of the Bartolas country, it has served as a true
lighthouse to the spiritual, social and cultural life of this mountain community
since 1899.
Almost as soon as the first settlers had staked their claims, the ministers of
the gospel followed. Walking, riding horseback and later using a horse and
buggy, they stopped wherever night happened to overtake them. These visits were
few and far between in the 1860s, as the closest minister was O.D. Dooley of
Glennville. Known better as Parson Dooley, he came over the Greenhorn Mountains
to the Kern River whenever he could. In 1866, Parson Dooley had started the
Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Glennville, the first church in newly formed
Kern County, but he still found time to visit the Kern River area.
In the 1870s a building was erected on the site where the Woman's Club hall was
later built. This first building was used as a meeting place for the
Presbyterian Church in 1973 and also for the Weldon Grange. By the middle of the
1880s this barn-like structure had fallen into sad repair, and finally burned.
Services were then held on the second floor of the A. Brown Store at Weldon or
in the schoolhouse.
The neighboring town of Kernville had a larger population and was more centrally
located, so it became the leader in church activities. One of the leaders in
church work from the 1880s to the 1900s was Miss Josie Sumner, who later married
a minister by the name of Belknap. Miss Sumner was a teacher in the early Sunday
school, played the organ, and many times when there was no minister she
conducted services and held funerals in private homes.
In Kernville, as in most frontier towns, the school building was first used to
hold church services. After the Peterson Hall (later the I.O.O.F. Hall) was
built, funerals and weddings were held there.
On Nov. 12, 1870 the Kern River Circuit of the Methodist Church was organized
under the Los Angeles District and they held their first quarterly conference in
Bakersfield.
On July 20, 1872, the first meeting of the Kern River Circuit was held on the
South Fork and the members met at the Presbyterian Church, which was about a
mile west of where the Methodist Church was later built.
Rev. J. C. Livingston will not soon be forgotten by Valley residents. In the
1890s he said, "We will build (three) churches - by faith."
And that is exactly how they were built. One was built in Kernville in 1898, one
at Weldon in 1899, and another in Isabella in 1904.
(Adapted from "South Fork Country" one of the nine books the late Bob Powers wrote about the history of the Kern River Valley and surrounding areas. For information about how to order the books, call Marge Powers at (760) 376-2329)
Kern Valley Sun - December 3, 2005
What God has in store
by Wes Walker
Kern Valley Sun
You might have seen the small donation boxes for God's Storehouse placed on the
counters of many businesses in the Kern Valley. What you might now know is that
each one was painstakingly handmade and hand painted especially for this year's
holiday season by Jackie and Earl Cole of Weldon.
The Coles became members of the Weldon United Methodist Church in 1991, and ever
since they have been contributing to the church's outreach program, God's
Storehouse. Three and a half years ago, Jackie became the God's Storehouse
coordinator, and part of her responsibility is managing donations provided by
the generous people of the Kern Valley to put together their Thanksgiving and
Christmas food baskets every year. Together, the Coles work along with more than
10 other volunteers to provide food for the people God's Storehouse serves.
Every year God's Storehouse provides these food baskets for those in the
community that are less fortunate. All the baskets are created from food
purchased with private donation money acquired, mostly through containers
frequently found at registers and checkouts around the valley. Just before
Thanksgiving, the Coles and other volunteers collect and budget the money that
has been donated then use it to purchase what they need to fill the baskets.
Last year God's Storehouse gave out more than 200 Christmas baskets to needy
families, costing the storehouse upwards of $7,500. Each basket is put together
individually for each family based on the size and makeup of the family, and
includes everything from a turkey to eggs and cereal, everything a family needs
to eat for a week.
In recent years, though, prices on many of the items included in the baskets
have gone up, and it has become more and more of a struggle to produce the
amount of money needed to make the baskets. This year, with prices of almost
everything rising, donations are more vital than ever to keep the Christmas
Baskets available to the needy.
In search of more donations, the members of God's Storehouse are always looking
for ways to draw more attention to their donation containers, and this year a
very creative approach was taken.
Two years ago Earl and Jackie Cole were looking for ways to make the collection
containers "a little more outstanding and inviting," said Earl. And what they
came up with was quite clever.
Just over a year ago, Earl Cole had a dream in which an idea came to him that
would solve some of the problems God's Storehouse was having with
its donation
containers. He had the idea to make miniature versions of the Weldon Methodist
Church. They would be decorative, clearly state what donations were
for, and
draw more attention. However, creating the miniature churches would require
special material and a lot of time to produce. A couple of months after the
conception of his idea, Earl was in Vons supermarket when he saw some crates in
the produce section used to transport grapes from Chile. The wood used the make
these crates would be perfect for what Cole needed to build the miniature
versions of the Methodist Church. A talk with the produce manager scored the
Coles all the material they needed to start making the miniature versions of
WUMC.
For more information how to donate to God's Storehouse visit them online at
www.wumcgodsstorehouse.com or
call them at 760-378-2321.
Kern Valley Sun - November 23, 2005
God's Storehouse plans holiday cheer
God's Storehouse in Weldon has already been gearing up for a wonderful Thanksgiving season with a coat and jacket giveaway for adults and children. Anyone needing a warm coat or jacket may contact the God's Storehouse office to come and select one. Then God's Storehouse will go right into the Christmas season. Sign-ups for a Christmas Basket, for those in need, are going on right now until Dec. 5. god's Storehouse will also offer, once again, the toy room for children infants to15 years of age for families who receive a Christmas Basket. Drop off points for toys will be James Sierra Gateway Market in Southlake, Mt. Mesa Market and The Furniture Store in Lake Isabella. For more information, call God's Storehouse at the Weldon United Methodist Church, 378-2321. Those who wish to help God's Storehouse's efforts, they have donation containers out that resemble the church. These can were planned and built by Earl Cole and painted by Jackie Cole, coordinator of God's Storehouse.
Kern Valley Sun - November 24, 2004
God's Storehouse providing holiday cheer to needy
For the past 15 years the Weldon United Methodist Church has hosted the God's
Storehouse (a non-profit organization) program serving needy families and
homeless in our community year round.
"We serve nearly 150 year round and we are open 24/7 for emergencies,"
said Jackie Cole, Program Coordinator.
Besides the holidays, God's Storehouse provides food and clothing to people in
need, serving from noon to 3 p.m. with the helping hands of volunteers who help
make this project stay alive, as well as with the gracious donations from
businesses and residents around the Kern River Valley. They also deliver food to
seniors and disabled shut-ins on the third Wednesday of every month.
During the Vons strike last year they received calls from many families who were
without work. This motivated Cole to go after a grant that would provide funds
to purchase two freezers, so that they would have the storage they need to
provide more families in need with proper and complete meals, said Cole.
The freezers were delivered and set up by Barnes Bargains earlier this year.
As winter approaches, "People in the valley often lose their jobs due to
cutbacks, or their hours are cut, which makes our list of families in need
grow," said Janis Jones, a volunteer worker.
This year God's Storehouse is able to add to their program a Thanksgiving Dinner
Basket for families in need.
Monday morning with the help of several volunteers, they were at work in the
food program's office, putting together 35 Thanksgiving baskets.
"We do this type of work because we love to help people; it is
rewarding." said Carol Benoun, a volunteer worker who has been involved
with God's Storehouse for the past 10 years.
At noon the families in need were given a dinner basket, consisting of turkey,
dressing, potatoes, gravy, mushroom soup, cranberry sauce, green beans, celery,
rolls, margarine, olives, Jell-O, fruit cocktail, and a pie.
The cap was going to be 25 families served, but the need was overwhelming and drew
to 35. With the help of those who donate product, time, and money, the
volunteers worked hard to make it possible to handle the great need that there
is in our valley.
God's Storehouse operates with volunteers and depends strictly on donations to
keep their doors open and the program running. Donations in the Kern River
Valley come from businesses, churches, clubs, and individuals.
"As long as there is a need this program will continue to grow and prosper
year round in the valley," said Cole.
"Because of the great need for Thanksgiving baskets, we went on faith this
year, borrowing from Peter to pay Paul (and taking food planned for Christmas
baskets)," said Cole. "We plan to (rebuild) as the donations come in."
If you can be of any help to this program, monetary donations can be mailed to the
Weldon United Methodist Church at P.O. Box 1209, Weldon, CA 93283. Or if you can
volunteer with making baskets for Christmas (200 plus last year) or if you have
a toy to donate to the "Toy room," call Jackie Cole, Program
Coordinator at (760) 378-2880.
"Unwrapped, gently used, clean toys are in a great demand this year,"
said Cole.
"Gifts like watches, bubble bath, lotion, stuffed animals, skateboards,
dolls, toy cars, and hair supplies are needed, just to name a few," said
Dorothy Ashley, a volunteer worker for 12 years with God's Storehouse.
If you have purchased food to donate, you can drop off the food at the church
office located at 20021 Hwy 178 Weldon, by appointment only (because they want
to ensure the food is cared for properly). To make an appointment call (760)
378-2321.
Kern Valley Sun - January 13, 2004
God's Storehouse says Thank You
God's Storehouse wants to Thank everyone who helped support our Christmas Basket
project this year. Your generosity was overwhelming. Thank You: KCNQ, who put out an SOS to the Valley for toys for our toy room;
The Furniture Store, James Station, and Mt. Mesa Market
who allowed the toys to be dropped off at their locations, and to everyone who donated toys;
To our children whose classrooms held food drives;
To the organizations who donated food and gave
monetary gifts; To the grocery stores who donated
food; and To the private sector who gave generously
with monetary gifts or their labors of Love.
Because of your generosity, we were able to provide toys for 225 local children
and food baskets for over 190 families, which equates to over 600 individuals.
Your continued support through 2004 is needed, as hunger knows no season or age.
This past year, 2003, has been a rough year for a lot of people and folks like you
helped make the burden a little lighter. Thank you, once again, and God Bless.
Jackie Cole, Coordinator
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