Jackson Free Press

Judy Barnes is planning a church rummage sale tomorrow where everything is free, no strings attached.

Barnes, a founding member of St. Alexis Episcopal Church in downtown Jackson, says Saturday's Free-Cycle sale will be a festival with live music, face-painting and food for sale from local non-profits.

"It's a celebration of sharing, diversity and downtown life," she says. Part of the celebration is the free rummage sale. Anyone can show up and take what others don't need any more.

"Everything will be free," Barnes says.

It's the fourth year the church at the corner of Commerce and South streets has held the Free-Cycle event. This is the first year the church is adding a festival. At previous Free-Cycle events, plenty of people were happy to bring unwanted furniture, outgrown clothes and various household utensils.

"I've gotten rid of a lot of clothes that I didn't know what I was thinking when I bought them," Barnes says.

She's seen young couples expecting a baby take home a rocking chair. She remembers a homeless man picking out a pair of pants, shoes, a T-shirt and a long-sleeved shirt.

"He was bedraggled," she says. "He came back one hour later in his new clothes. He was so proud."

Somehow, it all works out smoothly as people gladly recycle old belongings for things they need.

"No one is greedy. Nobody has to bring anything to take anything," Barnes says.

Barnes, 63 and a Forest High School graduate, has worked as the parish coordinator at Chapel of the Cross in Madison for 9 years. She says that's a large church. By contrast, she estimates St. Alexis only has 75 to 100 members.

"Our church is small but enthusiastic," she says. "Traditional with a very young twist to it. Bishop Duncan Gray initiated this church five years ago to attract young adults. A lot of people have been estranged from church. They say they don't want to go to their parents' church."

Many who attend St. Alexis in the old Kelly Furniture store building are college students or newly married. Some have had babies. "We have a Sunday school now for children," Barnes says.

The Free-Cycle rummage sale is a way to help the community and to get the word out about St. Alexis. The church has a committee for that.

"Instead of calling it an outreach committee, they call it Reach Out," Barnes says.

The Free-Cycle Festival is from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, April 30, at St. Alexis Episcopal Church. For information, call Barnes at 601-668-9319.