Title: Compassion Candles is a project developed by Proserpine Whitsunday Uniting Church, focusing on making and selling quality candles, to sponsor as many children living in poverty as possible.

Timelines for Project:When did we get the ideas? When did we start planning? When did we implement the project? Is it still going? Is there an end point or a new stage in development planned.We began making our first experimental candles (24 May 2009). We are planning to officially launch Compassion candles at the end of August 2009, with the first candles on sale 2 weeks later at the annual Flower Show that we host in Proserpine. We will be making candles between now and the Flower Show on money donated to the project, thereafter it will grow and sponsor on profits.

Your Project Story (description): The idea for a candle-making club for upper primary and lower secondary students arose in April 2009. The idea of using profits to sponsor children in poverty arose just before, but independently from, a visit to our church by Compassion Australia on 17 May.

Compassion Candles grew out of some simple God-timing – the idea of a candle making club; the idea of sponsoring children out of profits; and a visit by Compassion Australia. You have to realise that in Proserpine we don’t get too many visiting speakers from beyond Mackay. We got the point – but it is exciting to see the fire in the eyes of our young people who realise that they have the chance to start something that can make a difference to some other lives.

We are making palm wax pillar candles and soy wax container candles.  Most are scented, especially the container candles.  We are making Advent Candle sets for churches, which can be pre-ordered on our website (see below).  People who come and see what we are doing are amazed by the quality of the candles, and equally amazed to hear that it is all for the benefit of others.

Compassion Candles will be officially launched in worship on Sunday 30 August 2009, and our first sales to the public will be at our Proserpine Flower Show on Saturday 12 September 2009.

We are making palm wax pillar candles and soy wax container candles.  Most are scented, especially the container candles.  We are making Advent Candle sets for churches, which can be pre-ordered on our website (see below).  People who come and see what we are doing are amazed by the quality of the candles, and equally amazed to hear that it is all for the benefit of others.

Compassion Candles will be officially launched in worship on Sunday 30 August 2009, and our first sales to the public will be at our Proserpine Flower Show on Saturday 12 September 2009.

This is, at present, an idea within Proserpine Whitsunday Uniting Church. Money to kick start the project is coming from people within the congregation.

The first of the first group members were Jemimah Thompson and Suzie Porter, who recently both attended CQ Rendezvous (annual Central Qld youth camp) in Clermont. We talked about the idea on the way home, and that produced the startup energy.

We have required financial donation to kick-start production. That has all be found in our local congregation. We don’t expect to require any outside assistance. Resources (product and expertise ) have been acquired from “Natural Candle Supplies” online.

Everyone understands child sponsorship, inside and outside the church. It gives hope to those who have no chance of a future with their own resources. Not everyone has the resources for the long term monthly commitment of child sponsorship, but this project, if successful, will generate funds out of the profits. For a few children we might get to be the light of the world!

Outputs are the things the project does whereas. Outcomes relate to the impact of the project in the broader community context: We’ll come back and edit this as the outcomes become clearer.

Thus far it has been inspiring to see young and not-so-young people keen to be involved. It has also been inspiring to see other people inspired as they hear the story of what we’re trying to do. Of course it hasn’t really started yet.

Learning Insights: So far the learning insights have all been “hey, we can do this” moments, following instructions, melting wax, handling molten wax, pouring moulds etc, all for the first time. Each time we go through the process we do it more efficiently.

We know we will need to do careful cost/profit analysis, records of what has been produced and sold. It will involve ongoing R&D, ordering, production, sales, and financial control. It will also involve advertising, product branding including the project purpose.

Intentions: Compassion Candles could grow to other branches if other people see the idea and want to run with it. I imagine one financial base and a joint sponsorship base.

Contact Person
Rev Wayne McHugh 07 4945 1078 0438 688 422 wmchugh at comcen.com.au

Our website, www.compassioncandles.ucaweb.com.au , will be advertising Compassion Candles soon.