Sheena Pearson’s preserves have helped fund countless camp attendees, mission trips and church interns.
She has been supplying her fellow All Saints parishioners with spreads for their morning toast for a long time now – about 50 years, she tells me! Her latest project is called “Bottled Sunshine”, made as part of the Bishopdale College “Go the Distance” campaign.
I spoke with Sheena, a bottle of sunshine herself, about her charitable efforts.
Sheena: It started when we first came to All Saints. We had a prolific lemon tree, and four children to bring up. Whenever there were requests for giving at church, we really didn’t have much to go around. But we could afford a bag of sugar! So I started making lemon curd, selling it, and having a bit more to give.
About 10 or 15 years ago, one of our young people at church became an intern for a year. She needed help with funds, so her mother and I made a huge batch of preserves. It was over summer so there were lots of summer fruits and vegetables and all that sort of thing. We called ourselves “Pickled Saints”! And that raised the funds she needed for her internship. So that was a really huge one.
It’s just something I enjoy doing. I love food, and I love creating and experimenting with flavours. And I hate seeing food go to waste. So it really came from a combination of those things.
It’s a combined effort, too. A lot of people provide fruit or vegetables left over from their gardens. And they provide the jars too – I’ve trained them up real well: clean, screw top, labels off! It’s just become a thing over the years.
I'm constantly amazed at the generosity of God's people.
Years ago I decided to stop pricing goods and instead leave it to people to make a donation, a koha, to the cause. I have been amazed and I believe the Lord has been honoured in that decision as money raised has always far exceeded the effort. What a blessing all round!
Sheena: It’s difficult to know what people are going to like sometimes, particularly if I’m experimenting. People always go for the marmalade jams and chutneys, relishes of the normal kind – and lemon curd is always a huge seller.
But I like to experiment with other flavours as well. Some of the Oriental or Asian flavours. A good one to make this time of year is nimbu achar, which is an Indian lemon chutney. It’s got quite a different flavour.
One of the ones that surprised me was Black Boy Peaches and Chinese five spice chutney. It was luscious, with a really distinct flavour, but it was only to a few people’s taste.
A lovely chutney I discovered in the last couple of years is a lime chutney with chilli and sultanas.
Sheena: It’s not everybody’s taste. I’m constantly experimenting on people, and some are a bit shy trying new things. But I noticed that among those in my age group, there are quite a few who like experimenting with flavours!
If we’re having a sale at church, I warn the 10:30 people to be aware of the nine o'clockers and get there early because stock won’t last!
Sheena: Jams and marmalades are basically fruit and sugar. That’s it. I’m aware of people’s allergies so I never use dairy to skim the foam off. The jams I make are all fruit, no fillers. Lemon curd is more expensive to make because it’s got eggs and butter in it as well. Relishes are vegetables like tomatoes, onions, garlic, with some vinegar and a spice. Chutney is more complex and takes longer to cook. They’re made with fruit, because they’re more on the sweet side. Fruit, sugars, vinegars, spices and aromatics like garlic, lemon grass or ginger.
Chutneys have to reach a jammy consistency so it takes a while to cook out the moisture from them. At least two to three hours. Jams are quicker. Depending on which fruit it is, they’ll reach a setting point more quickly. Marmalade takes a bit longer. It’s a two-day process because you have to soak the skins to soften them and release the pectin – that's the natural gel that comes from citrus fruit.
Sheena: I always use products when they’re in season. This time of year, we’ve got lemons, limes, grapefruit, mandarin – all those beautiful citrus fruits are in season. And people with those trees usually have overloads. Of which I benefit. Well, we all benefit! I’ve done a few projects in the past called “Citrus Aid”.
Graham and I did a course at Bishopdale recently, and thoroughly enjoyed it. It was free for interest-only students – Theology of Suffering and Hope taught by Andrew Burgess. I left school when I was 15 and I hadn’t done any formal study since then, so I was really nervous. But I really, really enjoyed it! It was great confirmation of things that I had learned and experienced over the years as well as deeper understanding of those things. It was a fantastic course.
So I thought this fundraising project would be a lovely way to give back.
Check out other articles in the
series below.
More articles in the
series are to come.
We have invited these writers to share their experiences, ideas and opinions in the hope that these will provoke thought, challenge you to go deeper and inspire you to put your faith into action. These articles should not be taken as the official view of the Nelson Diocese on any particular matter.
Sheena Pearson’s preserves have helped fund countless camp attendees, mission trips and church interns.
She has been supplying her fellow All Saints parishioners with spreads for their morning toast for a long time now – about 50 years, she tells me! Her latest project is called “Bottled Sunshine”, made as part of the Bishopdale College “Go the Distance” campaign.
I spoke with Sheena, a bottle of sunshine herself, about her charitable efforts.
Sheena: It started when we first came to All Saints. We had a prolific lemon tree, and four children to bring up. Whenever there were requests for giving at church, we really didn’t have much to go around. But we could afford a bag of sugar! So I started making lemon curd, selling it, and having a bit more to give.
About 10 or 15 years ago, one of our young people at church became an intern for a year. She needed help with funds, so her mother and I made a huge batch of preserves. It was over summer so there were lots of summer fruits and vegetables and all that sort of thing. We called ourselves “Pickled Saints”! And that raised the funds she needed for her internship. So that was a really huge one.
It’s just something I enjoy doing. I love food, and I love creating and experimenting with flavours. And I hate seeing food go to waste. So it really came from a combination of those things.
It’s a combined effort, too. A lot of people provide fruit or vegetables left over from their gardens. And they provide the jars too – I’ve trained them up real well: clean, screw top, labels off! It’s just become a thing over the years.
I'm constantly amazed at the generosity of God's people.
Years ago I decided to stop pricing goods and instead leave it to people to make a donation, a koha, to the cause. I have been amazed and I believe the Lord has been honoured in that decision as money raised has always far exceeded the effort. What a blessing all round!
Sheena: It’s difficult to know what people are going to like sometimes, particularly if I’m experimenting. People always go for the marmalade jams and chutneys, relishes of the normal kind – and lemon curd is always a huge seller.
But I like to experiment with other flavours as well. Some of the Oriental or Asian flavours. A good one to make this time of year is nimbu achar, which is an Indian lemon chutney. It’s got quite a different flavour.
One of the ones that surprised me was Black Boy Peaches and Chinese five spice chutney. It was luscious, with a really distinct flavour, but it was only to a few people’s taste.
A lovely chutney I discovered in the last couple of years is a lime chutney with chilli and sultanas.
Sheena: It’s not everybody’s taste. I’m constantly experimenting on people, and some are a bit shy trying new things. But I noticed that among those in my age group, there are quite a few who like experimenting with flavours!
If we’re having a sale at church, I warn the 10:30 people to be aware of the nine o'clockers and get there early because stock won’t last!
Sheena: Jams and marmalades are basically fruit and sugar. That’s it. I’m aware of people’s allergies so I never use dairy to skim the foam off. The jams I make are all fruit, no fillers. Lemon curd is more expensive to make because it’s got eggs and butter in it as well. Relishes are vegetables like tomatoes, onions, garlic, with some vinegar and a spice. Chutney is more complex and takes longer to cook. They’re made with fruit, because they’re more on the sweet side. Fruit, sugars, vinegars, spices and aromatics like garlic, lemon grass or ginger.
Chutneys have to reach a jammy consistency so it takes a while to cook out the moisture from them. At least two to three hours. Jams are quicker. Depending on which fruit it is, they’ll reach a setting point more quickly. Marmalade takes a bit longer. It’s a two-day process because you have to soak the skins to soften them and release the pectin – that's the natural gel that comes from citrus fruit.
Sheena: I always use products when they’re in season. This time of year, we’ve got lemons, limes, grapefruit, mandarin – all those beautiful citrus fruits are in season. And people with those trees usually have overloads. Of which I benefit. Well, we all benefit! I’ve done a few projects in the past called “Citrus Aid”.
Graham and I did a course at Bishopdale recently, and thoroughly enjoyed it. It was free for interest-only students – Theology of Suffering and Hope taught by Andrew Burgess. I left school when I was 15 and I hadn’t done any formal study since then, so I was really nervous. But I really, really enjoyed it! It was great confirmation of things that I had learned and experienced over the years as well as deeper understanding of those things. It was a fantastic course.
So I thought this fundraising project would be a lovely way to give back.
Check out other articles in the
series below.
More articles in the
series are to come.
