Operation Christmas Child

Is the weather finally starting to turn cooler?! 

A little over a month ago I wrote about back to school and pumpkin spice lattes and the beginning of Wednesday Night Church. Now can you believe Christmas is coming quickly?  

Yes, I know it isn’t even November yet, so it seems weird to talk about Christmas. But I always start thinking about the holidays this time of year because of Operation Christmas Child. Every fall around Halloween we partner with Samaritan’s Purse to fill Christmas boxes for children in need. We get started early because there’s a difference between those who are ministers (us) and those being ministered to (the children). For us, Christmas is a time when we can handle everything last minute if we want to; after all, who hasn’t spent hours at HEB on December 23rd?! We can run to the store and grab whatever we need, eager to get back home and spend time having a great meal with great family. For most of the kids who receive these boxes, though, a grocery store is unheard of, much less a dollar store full of candy and trinkets! When we send gifts, we are giving Christmas to children in a way they otherwise wouldn’t be able to experience it. More importantly, we are giving them access to the gospel, the greatest gift of all time! In every Christmas box we send there is an opportunity for the child to learn about Jesus.  

To get involved in Operation Christmas Child, grab a red-and-green box from the hallway by the Fellowship Hall, fill it according to the instructions inside, and return the box to that same table by November 16. Together with Christians all over the world, we will celebrate the birth of our Savior and give the gospel to thousands of kids.  

Thanks be to God for the Body of Christ!   

Allen