By: Ali Elizabeth Turner
On Friday and Saturday, October 3 and 4, the St. Paul Catholic Women are going to be having their annual yard sale, held at the church. And, what I can say from experience is, if you want bargains, blessings, and desire to be a blessing, this event is well worth your time. Recently, I sat down with Jayne Higginbotham and Chris Webb, and in addition to hearing all about the sale, they took me on a tour of the facility as well as gave me an interesting bit of history of the church.
Early in the 20th century, there were about 18 Catholic families in Athens, and they worshipped in a small chapel that was located on the corner of Coleman and Brown’s Ferry. Eventually the chapel closed, and the congregation traveled by ferry to St. Ann’s in Decatur. In the 1940s, Mr. and Mrs. Carl Hatchett opened up their home on S. Clinton Street to the families, and on Saturdays, they would gather there for Mass. After the service, the Hatchetts would serve breakfast.
In 1959, the small brick building on Hwy 72 was built on land that had been sold to the St. Paul’s congregation by the Spencer family, and in 1970, Pastor Timothy Hill became their shepherd. In 1992, the new large church that we see today was built, followed by the Parish Hall, Rectory, and Religious Education Building. The St. Paul Catholic Women have raised money to support the parish activities, church environment, artwork, and other needs. All of it has been carefully designed to make a beautiful place of worship.
Recently, the church lending library was renovated, redecorated, and updated. In addition, St. Paul’s donates food to Limestone County Churches Involved (LCCI), and at Christmas time adopts families in need. They provide food and gifts so that families can have a lovely holiday. Another ministry and organization that is near and dear to the women of St Paul’s is the Women’s Resource Center which is our local crisis pregnancy center. This congregation has been generous supporters of our community on a number of fronts, and all of this is made possible by the gigantic yard sale that is coming soon. Below is a description of the event that Ms. Jayne put together for Athens Now readers.
However, before you read what Jayne has to say about possible bargains that you may find at the sale, let me tell you about one that I scooped up at the sale a few years back. There is a well-known and beautiful brand of pottery that originated in Poland. The name of the brand is Boleslaswiec. The pieces are hand painted, and are considered to be collector’s items. I got a set of 12, and let’s just say, I have rarely gotten such a good deal anywhere!
This year there will a variety of items from which to choose. They include gently used quality furniture, gorgeous china, accessories and home décor of all kinds, clothing, toys, electronics, books and magazines, housewares, photo frames, and much more.
Everyone loves a bargain! Bargains await this fall at the annual yard sale at St. Paul Catholic Church on Hwy 72. The yard sale is always Fiddler’s weekend. This year, the sale will be Friday and Saturday, Oct 3-4. Expect a large selection of merchandise, low prices, and cheerful volunteers. The yard sale is a popular event for the church, the community, and visitors to the Tennessee Valley Old Time Fiddler’s Convention. It is hosted by St. Paul Catholic Women, with help from the Knights of Columbus. The underlying spirit of the yard sale is helping others. Church members generously donate merchandise. Women and men of St. Paul volunteer countless hours to sort, clean, and organize material.
All customers get great products at low prices. The items that are not sold during the yard sale are donated to other charities that help those in need. The yard sale is the only fundraiser for St. Paul Catholic Women. The funds support good works throughout the year. Last year the Christmas Giving program touched 18 families that needed a boost at Christmas. Other projects include gifts to those who are sick or homebound and support to youth programs. St. Paul Catholic Women meet monthly and welcome all for fellowship and faith enrichment. Look soon for a new Bible study using material from Ascension Press. See you at the yard sale!
By: Ali Elizabeth Turner
