By MOLLY DAVIDSON / Staff Writer

NORTH SHELBY—It’s that time of year again, Asbury United Methodist Church’s biannual Giggles and Grace Consignment Sale is returning Friday, Sept. 11 and Saturday Sept. 12.

This fall’s consignment sale features a wide array of children’s items from 350 consigners, including clothes, toys, books, shoes, furniture, sports gear and Halloween costumes.

“Registration for our fall sale was Aug. 17, and all 350 consignor spots filled up within an hour,” Giggles and Grace Consignment Sale co-chair Molly Ray wrote in an email. “The fall sale is my personal favorite sale because we have such a great selection of coats, Halloween costumes, football team/holiday clothing and toys that are great to put away for Christmas.”

The sale will kick off at 8 a.m. on Sept. 11 at Asbury UMC, and will stay open until 6 p.m. The sale will reopen on Sept. 12 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., with select items marked 50 percent off.

This season’s sale will feature a “new and improved consignment management system,” making the shopping experience easier and adding to the positive atmosphere of the sale.

“We try to make people feel welcome as soon as they walk through the church doors,” Ray wrote. “We want anyone and everyone to want to volunteer at our sale, meet new friends, learn about our church and… let us help them if they have any spiritual needs.”

In addition to offering great deals, the Giggles and Grace Consignment Sale benefits the community. Thirty percent of profits raised from the volunteer-run sale will benefit the Asbury UMC Children’s Program and local mission groups, including Oak Mountain Missions, Lovelady Center and Hannah Home.

Consigners and shoppers are also asked to consider donating gently used items to the Navajo Mission Life Center in Cuba, N.M., Ray explained.

Throughout the two-day sale, shoppers will have the opportunity to donate canned food to Asbury UMC’s food pantry. Each shopper or volunteer who brings canned food items will be entered into a drawing for fast passes.

Founded in June 2012, the food pantry provides roughly 440 non-perishable food items to up to 45 families each week, Ray said.

“It is our belief that there are families in our area who may fall through the cracks in being eligible for assistance, and we feel that Christ asks us to feed those who come without questions, just acceptance,” Ray wrote. “Many of these families would go hungry without the help of this ministry.”