Daily Freeman-Journal photo by Kolleen Taylor: Susan Meinders, left and Cindy Henning, worked last fall to set up the annual thrift sale that has been running for at least 70 years at the First Congregational United Church of Christ in Webster City. The Women's Fellowship members who run this project, donate most of the proceeds to local organizations.

It’s spring cleaning time and that makes it time for the First Congregational Church’s annual Thrift Sale.

It hasn’t felt much like spring lately, but we are well into our third week of the season. The spring sale seems to mark the beginning of garage sale season, something that continues through the fall.

The church has been holding their sale for over 70 years, with it becoming a semi-annual sale sometime over the past 30 years. Cindy Henning, has been coordinating the event for over a dozen years, said it may go back to just once a year.

“It’s a lot of work,” said Henning, “The whole church is involved, and it takes at least 20 people to run the two day sale.”

The event, coordinated by the Women’s Fellowship generates income that does not go into the church budget.

“Proceeds from the sale go to local area agencies throughout the community in addition to our churches wider mission,” said Henning, ” Most of the money is distributed throughout the community.”

Once the sale is over, most of the items left will be donated to Beacon of Hope or Lotus. At one point they kept clothing to make it available for those in need.

“For about five years we set up a free clothes closet in our basement year-round,” said Henning, “We tried it for a couple of years, but we didn’t have enough children’s clothes, and we felt it was not reaching the people that we hoped to help.”

The clothes closet officially stopped operating in February 2026. At the end of the two day event, items left over will given away.

According to Henning, it takes many hands working all week, starting on the Sunday before the sale to prepare. Nearly the entire main floor of the church outside the sanctuary is set up with items for sale, she said. Items range from kitchen items to home decor, bedding, children’s toys, small appliances, games, and a long list of miscellaneous items.

“You never know what you’ll find during the Thrift Sale,” said Pastor Craig Blaufuss, who often creates a sermon-ette involving his discoveries.

There are several reasons beyond tradition, that makes the sale happen each year.

“We are keeping things in the flow, where people are repurposing, reusing items and keeping it out of the landfill.” she said, “But it also helps our church members have a place to donate their unused items.”

And the benefits are multi-layered.

“A lot of time the people who come to shop, are the same people who we assist through the agencies we support.”

“This helps people save money on many great items.”

The Women’s Fellowship, who runs the sale, gives away most of the money to outside local agencies. Organizations who have benefitted from the sales include ACE, Lotus, UDMO, the food pantries, Beacon of Hope, the school Backpack program, and the Summer Lunch program.

“It’s a process of cleaning out, gathering items people need, and help financially those who need assistance.” she said.

The sale officially begins at 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday, and is open from 8 a.m. to noon on Saturday.

The cost will be $7 per paper bag; on Saturday the bag prices are reduced.