The following post was lifted entirely (and shamelessly!) from the Wiarton Community of Christ Facebook page. Thanks to Pastor and Mission Advocate Linda Porter for leading and sharing with the rest of us, and to the Wiarton Congregation for sharing with their community. We love you!
Today 400 packages of spaghetti will be donated to the Wiarton Christmas Food Hamper at the Salvation Army. This was possible only because of the generosity of the TOPS, Wiarton church members, friends and everyone who attended the Nov. Cluster Weekend with the Apostle. THANK YOU FOR YOUR GENEROSITY!
A very Merry Christmas to all!
A very Merry Christmas, and a big "THANK YOU" to the members and Friends of the Wiarton Congregation.
Alright, the rest of you, what is your congregation up to?
Posted by Carman
Posts
We collected mittens for "Warm Hands" which was started by boys in our congregation - they also got their school involved.
ReplyDeleteWe are having our Christmas Cantata in our temporary new church home at the Field House at McKellar Park.
Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas - remembering that the future is getting brighter day by day - starting December 21st.
That would be in Ottawa, right? Hooray for the boys and hooray for each of you! Warm hearts are providing for Warm Hands! We love you guys! Christmas will be better because of you.
ReplyDeleteWhat is everybody else up to?
ReplyDeleteOur congregation has a tradition at Christmas that goes back quite a few years.
ReplyDeleteEach year we select Christmas families in our community and in our congregation that need some help to provide their family with a Christmas dinner and gifts for the kids. The school across the street from the church supplies us with a family that is both needy and deserving. For some of the families we provide gift certificates or cash to shop for their family. (depending on the knowledge that we have it will be used wisely) For the school family we get ages, genders, sizes and a wish list and then shop, wrap and deliver to the school a dream Christmas.
In the past we have received some very fine thank you letters from the families. One family had been praying for a sign for the out of work dad to go back to school or take a low paying job and hope for better things to come. When we called and asked for the information to provide them with a Christmas they enrolled dad in school and the kids went out caroling to collect canned goods for the caring cupboard.
It seems that each year the family that we help from the school manages to improve their circumstance and it is a different family that is presented to us the next year.
This year Brydges Street congregation is supporting 4 families with a total of 6 children. We raise funds through fund raisers such as lunch at church every fourth Sunday, penny auctions from donated goods, dinners for everyone from other congregations and friends of members and also strawberry socials which also attracted surrounding neighbours to our community. Any other funds required are donated by members.
Thanks Paul, and WELL DONE Brydges Street!
ReplyDeleteOkay folks, we have heard from several congregations, but I know there are lots more of you doing things. If your congregation is not listed above, how about sharing what's going on? We would love to be encouraged by your congregation's community action (also known as "sending/serving" ministry). Please click on the comments button and share your stories here.
Julie B at Stratford headed up the "operation christmas child" shoe box campaign and we were THE point for pick up and drop off for our area...
ReplyDeletewe have our hat and mitten tree active again too!
other great ideas here that we may borrow in the future!
john (aka anonymous)
Tomorrow night St. Thomas is cooking a Turkey Dinner for the folks at the geared to income housing units down the street.
ReplyDeleteA couple of our leaders took on fundraising to get grocery vouchers for a needy single parent family they knew of - it was so successful, they were able to expand those donations to 3 families.
ReplyDeleteLots of good eating happening! Thanks for all these reports.
ReplyDeleteAny others want to sign in ?
Grand Valley congregation is holding their annual Christmas breakfast this Sunday, Dec 18. At that time, we are giving a generous monetary donation to Dufferin Children Family Services - to be given to families who need food and fuel vouchers. We are also donating individually - food or monetary donations to Concerns - the local food bank.
ReplyDeleteWe are also having a Christmas Eve service.
Wishing each and everyone a Christmas filled with love, joy, hope and peace.
Blessings
Del and Diane
At Scarborough we filled 50 shoeboxes for Operation Christmas child, and half of them were filled by our Kids club, who baked to raise money for their boxes.
ReplyDeleteWe also donated 350lbs of food to our local school, which is just opening a foodbank for their school community - and who were in need of start up donations. We hope to make that 500lbs before Christmas.
Thank you everyone for sending and serving ministries offered in your communities. This is very encouraging. Opportunities to bless are others are everywhere, at Christmas and anytime.
ReplyDelete