This past Sunday afternoon, our beloved little community known as Fired Up met for a party. In addition to visiting, playing games, drinking pop/juice and eating cookies, this was a wrapping party. That is a wrapping party, not a rapping party. In other words, the community gathered to wrap gifts, not to rap lyrics. (Smile!)
The wrapping party was organized to sort, group, and box or bag an assortment of gifts that were purchased two weeks ago at an earlier Fired Up event. The selection included items such as socks, mitts, hats, toiletries, children’s books, and even a few baby clothes. The recipients of these gifts are people who have never heard of Fired Up, or perhaps even Community of Christ. The recipients will be homeless youth or others who are in need. I do not know their circumstances, but I am certain they will each appreciate that someone, somewhere, cares.
Of course this is not the first time Fired Up has done this kind of project, but it is encouraging to see the group starting out in such a positive direction. Their desire to reach out and bless the lives of people in the surrounding community is not only heartening but exciting in its own small way. If every Christian congregation had the same desire, it would definitely make our communities better places for all to live, and probably go a long way towards relieving some of the negative stereotypes many people have of Christians and churches.
Each of us are in the process of living out our Christian discipleship, and it is easier to do that when we work together with our community/congregation. In addition to providing encouragement and support, we can celebrate our successes together. If your congregation is doing something to bless or help people who live nearby this Christmas, would you be willing to share that story here? Just click on the comments button and tell the rest of us what is going on? After all, it is almost Christmas, so lets wrap (or rap)!
Posted by Carman
Monday, December 13, 2010
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Our congregation has found several ways to honour the season. In the fall Stratford congregation was the distribution/collection centre for this area for Samaratian's Purse. What a joy to see over two thousand shoeboxes pass through our doors knowing that each one will bring such joy to a child who may only get that one gift there entire life. Our Christmas concert there is always a special offering...this year it goes to House of Blessing which provides food, clothing, furniture and council to the needy in our area. We also have a mitten tree...how beautiful that tree becomes as scarves and mittens fill the tree...these go to the Salvation Army or House of Blessing. All of these projects are headed up by Julie Bolger. We also collect food for the food bank each communion sunday. These are some of the things we do here in Stratford at this time of year.
ReplyDeleteCarole
Thank you Carole, Julie, and all the people who support these wonderful efforts. Two thousand shoeboxes is a lot! What types of things go in those boxes? Where do the shoe boxes go; all in Stratford or Perth County or ?
ReplyDeleteGood job! Thanks for telling the rest of us. It helps to know folks are doing so many acts of loving kindness.
The shoe boxes go to third world countries so none of them stay in our area. They are filled with toys, hard candy, crayons, colouring books etc. also personal items like soap,toothbursh's face cloths, small items of clothing. This year we included in our own congregation boxes a colourful knitted vest and hat. The boxes are filled with an specific age and gender in mind. We had a few people from the community who filled 15 or 20 boxes themselves...wow!
ReplyDeleteI love the fact that people in the larger community are involved. Thanks for sharing that.
ReplyDeleteThis year, the Lowbanks Congregation has adopted a family to provide Christmas for. Our family consists of a single father, 2 girls (ages 10 and 13) and a boy (age 12). The donations began rolling in as soon as our plan was announced. We have coats for all three kids, other clothing items, makeup & jewelry for the girls, a fishing rod & tackle for the boy, toiletries, lots of food and we haven't even gone shopping yet with the donated cash!!! Today Judy Arnold, Samantha Gillies and I are going out to spend the $400 we have at our disposal. What a blessing this has been to our congregation and friends. What a blessing we hope to be for this family. Merry Christmas everyone! Marilyn
ReplyDeleteMarilyn, I love the fact that you recognize the blessings the congregation and friends are sensing as they give to the larger community. Thank you, and thank God!
ReplyDelete