COOKIE BAKER / TAKER / COORDINATOR
Jesus taught us to love one another. In the Gospel of John, Jesus said, "Love one another." As I have loved you, so you must love one another." Our Cookie Ministry is one way of doing just that. Can you imagine how great you would feel if a friend (or acquaintance) sent you a gift, just because you had stopped by to visit. You would put a smile on your face, you would feel accepted and loved, and you would probably think about when you could visit again. That is exactly how we want to make our Guests feel when they visit us.
Our Cookie Ministry is very special. We have "special" people who bake cookies, and package them on a plate and doily. Then they’re put in the freezer in the furnace room by the main entrance to the sanctuary.
When the cookies are prepared for delivery, they are boxed up by our "Cookie Coordinators" and tied with a red ribbon. They then attach a "thank-you" card to the ribbon which says, "THANKS FOR WORSHIPING WITH US. PLEASE COME AGAIN SOON. COMMUNITY LUTHERAN CHURCH!" On the back of the card is a place for the name and address of our guest, and a map is included.
Then, this special gift is delivered to every first-time visitor family by one of our dedicated "Cookie Takers." This small gift could be just the thing to convince our first-time guests that we really are glad they came and want them to come back again.
Instructions & Helpful Hints
GENERAL
1. ENJOY this ministry - it's FUN! The response from our guests has been VERY
positive.
2. Wednesday Worship Service - GUESTS will be taken cookies at the discretion of
the taker (because it is dark after church) EXCEPT during the summer months,
(May - August) when they will be taken on Wednesday.
Sunday 8:30 Worship Service - GUESTS can be taken cookies after Bible Study hour, or after late service.
Sunday 11:00 Worship Service - GUESTS are taken cookies after late service.
Instructions & Helpful Hints for Cookie Bakers
1. Please check your schedule to see when we need you to bake cookies. If you can't bake for that week, please switch with someone.
2. Please make 6 dozen cookies, using the recipe, which follows. (It may be easier to pick up the doilies, plates and plastic bags before hand, and bring them already packaged.)
3. When you bring your cookies to church, take them to the Board/Cry Room where you will find all the items you need to package them. (Everything is kept in the cabinets over the sink.)
4. Remember that you can always bake them days or weeks ahead of your scheduled time. Just bring them to church and put them in the freezer. They don't have to be baked that day.
5. Place a doily on a plate and put a dozen cookies on it. Then put everything in a gallon plastic bag and seal. Put a dated post-it-note ON – NOT - IN each bag and then put in freezer in the storage room off the sanctuary. (Please don’t use labels-can’t get them off without tearing the plastic. We would just rather not tell them they were baked ahead.)
6. If you have any questions, please contact Barb Gohn at home (734-782-0147) at Church Office (734-782-0563) or email: bgohn@clcflatrock.com.
7. ENJOY this ministry - it's FUN! The response from our GUESTS has been VERY positive!
COMMUNITY'S SCRUMPTIOUS COOKIES
2½ c. ROLLED OATS - divided
1 c. (2 sticks) OLEO or Butter-flavored Crisco shortening
1 c. SUGAR
1 c. BROWN SUGAR
2 lg. EGGS
2 tsp.. VANILLA
2 c. sifted all-purpose FLOUR
1 tsp. BAKING POWDER
1 tsp. BAKING SODA
½ tsp. SALT
12 oz. (2 c.) semi-sweet CHOC. CHIPS
4 oz. (b c.) MILK CHOC. CHIPS (opt.)
1 c. chopped NUTS
PREHEAT OVEN TO 375N. Place 2 cups oats in food processor and process 1 minute. Cream butter with both sugars in large bowl of electric mixer until smooth. Beat in vanilla & eggs.
Combine processed oats with flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Slowly add to butter mixture. Stir in remaining ½ c. rolled oats, semi-sweet & milk choc. chips & nuts.
Form into balls and place on ungreased cookie sheet. *Batter can be chilled, but works best if it’s not “too” cold when you’re forming the cookies.
Bake 8 - 10 minutes - until done - BUT NOT overcooked. Remember, cookies continue to cook a bit when removed from the oven - so take them out when they look just about done. Cool on sheet a few minutes before transferring to rack to cool completely. Makes about 80 cookies.
COOKIE COORDINATOR DIRECTIONS
Here are some simple directions to help you with this important ministry.
1. Take Communion early and go to the Board Room instead of returning to your seat.
2. If the Community Care Folders have not been picked up, remind an Usher that he/she is to pick them up for you. (There are two boxes of folders when they’re all picked up.)
3. Flip through the folders, looking for anyone who marks "FIRST TIME GUEST" and pull that sheet out. (Sunday only – Wednesday leave sheets in folders.)
NOTE: On Sundays we pull the sheets and take them to the Board Room to finish. It seems to work that way. If the cookie takers leave, put the finished cookie boxes on the mantel by the receptionists’ office in the front hallway.
Please record the first time visitors in the blue binder labeled "First Time Visitors To Receive Cookies" located on the counter in the Board Room. Also, check age group. We deliver to adults and high school youth.
4. Look to see if they live within a reasonable distance. We deliver from Allen Park to Monroe, Romulus to Gibraltar and all points in between!
5. Get the correct number of "cookie packages" from the freezer in the Furnace Room down the hall from the Board Room (use oldest date first). Place the packages in the boxes (located on the counter in the board room) and tie the boxes with red ribbon. Please remove date stickers on cookies if possible.
6. Write the NAME, ADDRESS, CITY and PHONE NUMBER on a Thank-you Card, and punch a hole in the corner. (The cards are in the drawer with punch and ribbon.) Tie the card to the ribbon on the box.
7. Please check the Working Together For Exciting Worship schedule to identify the scheduled "Cookie Takers" for the day so that you know who is taking the cookies and can let them know that there are cookies to be delivered.
8. If you are unable to be there on your day, please switch with someone.
COOKIE TAKER DIRECTIONS
1. Check the schedule over outside the Board Room door in back of church to see who the
Cookie Coordinator is for that week.
2. If you won't be there on Wednesday or Sunday (but still plan on delivering the cookies),
contact the Coordinator for that week and she will put the cookies on the mantel across
from the the receptionist’s office for you to pick up.
3. If you won't be there and won't be delivering cookies, please find your own replacement.
4. There are maps on the wall of the Board Room if you aren't sure of the location of the
street. If you don’t find a street on the big map, make sure to look on the small maps of
the new subdivisions. Local police & fire departments or the internet are also some
other options for locating streets.
5. If you are not sure what to say when delivering the cookies, here is an example: “Hi! My
name is from Community Lutheran Church and we just want to
thank you for visiting our church and hope that you will come back again. Thank You.”
That is all you have to say. If the people aren't home, just leave the cookies in the door
or on the porch. (Please don't eat them yourself.)
6. PLEASE be sure there is a thank-you card attached to the box of cookies before you
deliver them.
A SUMMARY
Remember - THIS IS FUN! You are a VERY important delivery person. You don't need to convert anyone. Your delivery and gift is witness in itself. SMILE!
