Christian Education
I want to start off by thanking everyone for your support and prayers following the death of my father. Your kind words have been heard and your prayers of comfort felt by my entire family.
Now on to happy thoughts. Providence will be participating in Operation Christmas Child this season like we have done in the past. In reviewing the leader resources, it occurred to me that many of us might not know the history behind this wonderful service to children.
The mission of Operation Christmas Child is to demonstrate God’s love in a tangible way to children in need around the world. Through this project, Samaritan’s Purse partners with the local church worldwide to share the Good News of Jesus Christ and make disciples of the nations.
In the summer of 1993, Samaritan’s Purse President Franklin Graham received a call from a man in England asking if he’d be willing to fill shoeboxes with gifts for children in Eastern Europe. Franklin agreed, but figured Christmas was months away. He forgot about the promise until he received a call back around Thanksgiving asking about the gifts.
Franklin asked his friend, the late Pastor Ross Rhoads of Calvary Church of Charlotte to see if he could help with the need. A Sunday shortly afterward, Pastor Rhoads demonstrated for his congregation how to fill a shoebox with simple gifts and encouraged them to include a letter to the child as well. Within weeks, the church had 11,000 shoeboxes lining their hallways.
Due to their generosity and additional gifts from Canada, Samaritan’s Purse sent 28,000 shoebox gifts to children in the Balkans that Christmas. Through these gifts, we communicated to children and their families what the angel said to the shepherds about Jesus’ birth: “I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people” (Luke 2:10, ESV).
Every year since, Samaritan’s Purse has collected shoebox gifts filled with toys, school supplies, and hygiene items for children around the world. Since 1993, more than 209 million children in more than 170 countries and territories have received an Operation Christmas Child shoebox. The project delivers not only the joy of what, for many kids, is their first gift ever, but also gives them a tangible expression of God’s love.
Tens of thousands of volunteers from local churches around the world partner with us to present the Gospel of Jesus Christ at festive outreach events where children are surprised with these shoebox gifts. https://www.samaritanspurse.org/operation-christmas-child/mission-and-history/
Providence will be joining in this international effort by collecting filled shoe boxes the week of November 12 – 19. There are boxes outside the church office for you to use. If you do not want to shop for items, you are welcome to contribute $25.00 (before November 12th) and the Youth & Young Adults will do your shopping for you. Donations can be given directly to Rosie Robinson or be put in the offering plate, please indicate that the contribution is for Operations Christmas Child.
For suggestions on what to fill your shoe box with I want to start off by thanking everyone for your support and prayers following the death of my father. Your kind words have been heard and your prayers of comfort felt by my entire family.
December will be here before we are now it and that means Advent will be here soon. Your Spiritual Development Team is busy planning our Advent Festival Activities that take place each Sunday of Advent. Please make every effort to come to these wonderful intergenerational church wide events starting December 3rd.
Blessings to you and your family,
Rosie Robinson
go to https://www.samaritanspurse.org/operation-christmas-child/what-goes-in-my-shoebox-suggestions/