TMI holds yard sale

The Ministry Institute held a yard sale last Friday that was 10 years in the making.

TMI, as The Ministry Institute calls itself, was mostly selling furniture that was overflow, according to Administrative Director Diane Imes. This makes the possibility of another sale unlikely.

"I don't know if we'll do it again – this is stuff we've been collecting for the past 10 years," Imes said.

Money from the sale will help TMI continue its mission of providing services to people that are doing work in Catholic ministry or preparing for ministry.

"We support people preparing for ministry (through our collaboration with the religious studies department at GU), resting from ministry (through our sabbatical program), and people getting more education so that they can do their ministry better," Shonna Bartlett, program director at TMI, said in an e-mail.

This year, TMI has students from China, Kenya, South Korea, Uganda, Tanzania, the Philippines and the United States.

"We will use money from the yard sale to provide opportunities for prayer, community meals, social activities, spiritual enrichment and educational support, as well as retreats, for this unique population," Bartlett said.

Imes, who ran the sale, estimated that it raised almost $500 for TMI, which she said was good because this was the first year the institute held a yard sale.

TMI's next event is a seminar on Wisdom in the Old Testament by Dr. Linda Schearing, a Gonzaga professor. The seminar is on Sept. 10 and costs $35.

Gonzaga students are also invited to Taize on Tuesdays, a prayer service that brings people from the Spokane community together every Tuesday at 4:15 p.m. to pray using songs, silence, poetry and readings.

"It is very ecumenical and contemplative, and sometimes interfaith, as Rabbi Elizabeth Goldstein has often led us in Jewish chants and prayers at this unique service," Bartlett said.

Both events will be held at TMI's building at 405 E. Sinto Ave.