CHECK OUT THIS LITTLE LIBRARY

Note: I wrote the following for today's New Castle Courier-Times. I've seen these adorable tiny libraries in Hagerstown, Knightstown, and Irvington but this is New Castle's first, we believe.

New Castle's Holy Trinity Lutheran Church Pastor Matt Masko says his challenge is not so much how to get people inside the church, but how to get the people inside the church to go outside it in service to their neighbors.

“The church exists for the sake of the neighbor,” he says. “We gather in worship to be sent into the world.”

A new project along those lines is the church’s new Little Free Library, located outside the front of the church at 535 S. 14th St., New Castle.  It is open to one and all. The wee library is stocked by members with Bibles, study guides and other wholesome books, all available 24/7 for folks to borrow – or even keep if they wish.

The library opened Thursday, March 15.

“I was quite pleased with the donations we’ve gotten,” says Marti Allen, chair of the church’s evangelism committee that put the project together.

Committee member Callie Yanos said everyone is welcome to use it.

The committee members believe this to be New Castle’s first Little Free Library. Funds were acquired through a grant from Thrivent Financial. Church member Ron Kaufman designed and built the two library boxes. Once installed, the boxes were blessed after worship by Masko. All materials were donated by members.

Along with the Bibles and study guides are Christian materials, good literature for both adults and children, fiction and nonfiction books.
According to information from the Little Free Library organization, there have been more than 65,000 of the libraries installed around the world.