UBBC Holiday Activities and Celebrations


UBBC Ice Sculpture - Part of State College's First Night Festivities

Dec 20th - Children's Play

Dec. 24 - Christmas Eve Candlelight Service

Record for Alternative Christmas Fair

It is with great joy that the Board of Missions reports that $31,536 was given to 20 different non-profit agencies through the 2009 Alternative Christmas Fair.

We had 117 giving units, an increase from last year. The Kitchen Luncheon and Bake Sale had excellent results earning $794 and $679, respectively. Plus the holly donations were $108. Additionally, $207 worth of goods was sold from the fair trade cart. The Board of Education raised $129.42 through the Children’s Fair for Save the Children.

The total donations were $33,118, a new record!

The Board of Missions thanks everyone involved from the congregation and the community that supported this, our largest mission project for the year. The Alternative Christmas Fair would not be successful without the effort of so many wonderful hands and hearts.

Fair Provides Another Way to Give

by Brandi Frazier-Hall

Instead of buying toys, sweaters, and socks for his 10 nieces and nephews, Dennis Wolnick is buying them a goat for Christmas--not that they will ever see it.

Instead Wolnick is giving the goat through the Heifer Project to benefit people in need in another part of the world."

They are each going to get a share of the goat in their name, and they like it," said Wolnick. “This is a nice way to give a present to relatives who are far away for a good cause.”

Wolnick was ‘shopping’ at the annual Alternative Christmas Fair Sunday hosted by University Baptist and Brethren
Church. The fair is an opportunity for people to donate to 20 different organizations
in the name of a loved one.

Several of the organizations were local such as Park Forest Day Nursery (PFDN), a free half-day preschool program for children who come from low-income families. A donation to the school pays for supplies such as crayons, puzzles, books, and play dough that the children use daily.

Gloria Horst-Rosenberger, director of PFDN, said that many of the parents of these children do not have a high school diploma, are unemployed, or abuse drugs and alcohol, and may not have the skills to teach their children the simple skills of life. “

If they [the children] do not come they will be behind in learning simple life skills such as how to speak properly and sharing,” said Horst-Rosenberger. “When they come, they have a structure that they do not have at home.”

Another local organization that reaches out to local youth is Stepping Stones Transitional Living Program, a program for youth ages 16 to 21 in the State College area who are aging out of the foster care system or just do not have anywhere to go. “

We teach them independent living skills such as how to budget,” said Tammy Harrington, Life Skills Coordinator.”The money donated goes to materials such as blankets, clothes, food, hygiene products, and activities.”

Heifer International, one of several international organizations represented at the Alternative Christmas Fair, allows people to donate money for bees, cows, goats, chickens. “They pay to buy the animals and we transport them to where they are needed,” said Joe Loomis. “We do instruction to help teach people how to raise animals and provide food for themselves; this organization helps eliminate malnourishment and hunger.”

Bonnie Kline Smeltzer’s nieces and nephew are related to Dan West, the founder of Heifer International, so she opted to donate to that organization. “I always give to Heifer because it is sort of a family connection,” said Kline Smeltzer. “Plus it is a very good organization.”

She added that giving is one of the best ways to celebrate the birth of Christ for Christians and that there is no reason for children and families to be without when there is enough to go around.

Neill Johnson gives at the Alternative Christmas Fair for many reasons including spreading the message of philanthropy. “It is a good way for people from the various organizations to meet one another and learn about each other, and it is also a way for people from different walks of life to come and visit this church,” said Johnson, UBBC member. “It gives people pleasure to give to people in need.”