More Than a Gift
By Ruth Schenk | .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Christmas outreach from Southeast into the community will have a wider reach this year.
Since Southeast is focused on prayer, building meaningful relationships and reaching out in Jesus’ name, there will be more than one opportunity for
members to be involved in giving and serving.
In short, the church will have the opportunity to be the church to hurting families in the community.
It has been a hard year for many families beset with unemployment and illness.
More than 1,000 families in the area already have been identified by partners in the community as needing help this Christmas.
Each one has a story, and each one has a unique set of needs.
Debbie Ward, who leads Local Missions at Southeast, said the Christmas outreach is patterned after Jesus’ sacrifice described in John 3:16.
“When Jesus accepted the cross, He showed that the needs of others outweighed His own needs,” Ward said. “This outreach is a chance for Southeast to
be the church in our community during the Christmas season and through the year.”
Outreach will last far beyond the holidays. Members will be asked to pray specifically throughout the year for the family they help at Christmas.
Ward is especially excited about the prayer component.
“This gives us a chance to put into action our desire to be a praying church,” she said.
More Than a Gift Calendar
There will be several opportunities to meet needs in the community.
1. Families, groups or individuals may provide gifts for a family.
In addition to providing gifts, there will be an opportunity to write personal notes of encouragement in a Christmas card, interact with partners and families at agency events.
2. Groups, families or individuals who choose not to provide gifts for a family can participate through the churchwide food drive to provide two weeks worth of food and Christmas baskets.
3. Members can sort food and prepare Christmas dinner baskets.
More Than a Gift Schedule of Outreach
1. On Nov. 12 and 13 and Nov. 19 and 20, members will be able to pick up the gift list for local families in need after services at the Blankenbaker, Oldham and Indiana campuses. Fulfilling wish lists will cost about $50 per person. Groups may work together to make that possible.
Individuals, groups or families will purchase and wrap gifts, sign a Christmas card and deliver the gifts and food to the partner organization.
2. On Nov. 19 and 20 and 26 and 27, people will donate food for Christmas baskets and food boxes.Food items will be collected during services at all three campuses.
3. On Dec. 3 and 4, at LifeBridge on the Blankenbaker Campus, volunteers will assemble food boxes and Christmas baskets.
For more information, visit www.southeastchristian.org and click on More Than a Gift.