Mission Service Activity of the Month
December 2021: Christmas Goodies
As Christmas nears, many are alone or struggling. Celebrating alone can be disheartening. A special gift may make the day a celebration easier for someone. Consider donating some special holiday items to a local food pantry. You may want to drop off gift bags at a local care center. Visit in person if possible. Find someone who will be alone and reach out with God’s love. Be sure to contact each organization to see what items are allowed and appropriate.
Whenever possible, include a Bible verse, religious card, or inspirational item like the Legend of the Candy Cane (found online by searching for Legend of the Candy Cane).
Possible food pantry donations:
- Items to make a simple dessert along with a disposable pan to prepare it in
- Prebaked cookies with a tub of frosting and sprinkles
- Canned fruit in pretty jars
- Dried fruit
- Nuts
- Items to make a snack mix (cereal, pretzels, chocolate chips)
- High demand items
Possible care center donations:
- Christmas ornaments to hang from doors or inside rooms
- Small colorful plants – living or artificial as appropriate
- Mini Christmas tree and decorations
- Small Christmas stockings filled with special treats like:
- Lotions
- Roll-on essential oils
- Playing cards
- Nice disposable tissues
- Note pad and pencil or pen
- Musical greeting card
- Food treats as allowed
- Small stuffed animal
- Light catcher to hang in room
- String of LED lights with batteries
- Jigsaw puzzles
- Board games
- Food treats to be used as prizes
Stockings:
Make stockings using holiday fabric if you wish. If you make the stockings from felt or fleece you don’t have to line or finish edges. It is also possible to purchase premade stockings at many stores. This is your gift! There are no specific rules.
Make a pattern by tracing around a stocking you have or look online for patterns. Two possibilities are listed below.
- https://www.arkathwyn.com/uploads/1/0/0/6/10064964/usltr_classicchristmasstockingpdfpattern.pdf
- https://phatquartersfabric.com/2019/11/small-christmas-stocking-sewing-pattern-gift-card-money-sleeve-free-sewing-pattern-tutorial/
Gospel Focus
In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another (1 John 4:10–11).
Devotion as you plan and prepare:
“Got Joy?” from lwml.org devotion archives
“I Have Loved You with an Everlasting Love” from lwml.org devotion archives
Prayer as you plan and prepare
Heavenly Father, as we prepare for the coming of your Son, Jesus Christ, help us to remember others. Give us the focus to slow down and reach out to those in our community. Guide us to opportunities to share Your love through gifts and actions. Provide us with the courage and wisdom to share the Gospel with those who need to hear it. Use our voices to proclaim Your redeeming love, our feet to go on Your errands, and our hands to serve others because of You. Amen.
The Gospel Outreach Committee would love to hear about, and share, your mission service activities! Please contact the Vice President of Gospel Outreach here. Thank you!
