Proceeds from Saturday’s flea market will aid in repairing and restoring the First Independent Church of Nanticoke. The sanctuary was recently replastered and repainted. The church, established in 1875, will celebrate it’s 150th anniversary next year.
Marcella Kester | For Times Leader
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The event included a bake sale and raffles for plants, decor and more.
Marcella Kester | For Times Leader
Patrons were able to shop everything from kitchen and glassware to books, DVDs and blankets during the 2nd annual spring flea market at the First Independent Church of Nanticoke on Saturday.
Marcella Kester | For Times Leader
NANTICOKE — Area community members and parishioners gathered inside the basement of Nanticoke’s First Independent Church Saturday morning, searching for their own hidden gems among the tables full of decor, books, glassware, electronics and more.
The church held its second annual spring craft fair and flea market, with proceeds benefiting a building fund as well as the ministry’s mission.
“This particular building was built in 1915”, First Independent Church of Nanticoke Pastor Roger Noss explained as he showed off recent renovations to the Sanctuary’s ceiling and walls. “We are very excited about it. The church will be celebrating it’s 150th anniversary next year. So we’re looking forward to that.”
As shoppers browsed hundreds of donated offerings, event organizers Joyce Spinucci and Jackie Howatt explained how the sale came to be.
The women often organized events like flea markets and craft fairs at their previous church, and decided to continue the tradition at their new parish following the merge of the two congregations.
“(The other church) unfortunately closed up, and they never had one here, so Joyce and I got this brainstorm idea to do it,” Howatt said.
“Once that congregation merged in with this one, we decided to bring back the flea market to aid our mission group, so that it funds missions and also to aid in our building here,” Noss added.
The mission assists with the church’s clothing closet, buying food, vacation Bible school and various other outreach services.
The duo will also be organizing a free community tea event featuring the Wyoming Valley Barbershop Chorus on May 4.
Parishioners assisted with the event by donating items, making homemade baked goods, serving lunch and assisting customers during check out. Aside from shopping, patrons were able to purchase tickets for raffle baskets and snag some delicious bake sale items.
The First Independent Church of Nanticoke if one of three locations under the Mount Mariah Independent Community Fellowship, which also includes campuses in Shickshinny and Hunlock Creek.
Hosting event such as the flea market offers multiple benefits, Noss said, not only to the congregation at large but the communities they serve.
“Its bring the community together.” Noss said. “It opens the church up to the community, the community comes in to us, and we’re able to minister to them. It lets them know we’re here, we’re alive and we’re here for the community.”