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Proserpine project ticks all the boxes for mission

Rev Wayne McHugh with some of the Compassion candles produced by volunteers at Proserpine Whitsunday Uniting Church. Photo: Wayne McHugh

Dianne Jensen reports on a central Queensland congregation that is shining a light on effective home-grown mission.

The congregation at Proserpine Whitsunday Uniting Church are firm believers that when local folk get inspired, they can undertake mission projects which will transform themselves, their local community, and the world.

This is the home of Compassion candles and Chappy sticks (lip balm), a thriving business run by volunteers out of St James, Proserpine church hall.

The hand-made product line includes glass-jar candles, Advent candles, and presentation items such as wedding and baptismal candles.

The Chappy sticks are made on-site as well, to a private recipe.

Income from the candles supports sponsor children through Project Compassion, and the Mwandi Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) project through Uniting World and Christian band Remember Seven.

The Chappy sticks support school chaplaincy across Queensland.

Rev Wayne McHugh says it all started with the idea of finding a creative outlet for young people.

"Candle making was simply an idea without a purpose.

The idea of selling them to support sponsor children, and later to support children's mission, was born soon afterwards."

Over four and a half years, the Proserpine Whitsunday venture has sold $15 000 worth of stock.

With no rental or labour costs, expenses are limited to materials and equipment.

The project works because it ticks all the right boxes, says Mr McHugh.

"It is win, win, win — create something that works for the team, create the high-quality product that works for the customer, and create something that has a purpose that works for someone beyond ourselves," he says.

"The people involved get inspired, and the people who buy the product get inspired."

And as a congregation-based initiative, the project supports the Together on the way, enriching community vision for locally fuelled ventures that will help Synod into mission, he adds.

What is a church doing in the business world?

"We do it as an activity of the local church, not as a business," says Mr McHugh.

"Our church has run an annual flower show for the last 70 years, and runs two jumble sales a year.

I grew up with lamington drives and street stalls in my local church — both business activities.

This is just more continuous, which allows us to get better at it and reach a wider market."

The candles and lip balm are sold locally and online, and through Revs Peter Taubner (Isis) and Russell Reynoldson (Forest Lake) who are partners and distributors.

Both men are now putting their own value-add onto the pre-made candles, allowing them to generate funds for mission projects of their choice.

For product distribution enquiries contact: pwuc@comcen.com.au or rev.russell@bigpond.com

Photo : Rev Wayne McHugh with some of the Compassion candles produced by volunteers at Proserpine Whitsunday Uniting Church. Photo: Wayne McHugh