New Around the Mission
Christmas Joy
December 17, 2009
"This has been the best Christmas ever," exclaims an eight-year-old at the Celebration of Christ outreach at All Saints Church in Pawleys Island, South Carolina. She is the daughter of an unemployed, single mother who is 24 and battling lupus while raising two young children, a typical profile for many of the 156 children participating in the morning festivities held at the church campus on Saturday, December 13.
In its third year, “Celebration of Christ” reaches out to 63 single parent families of Georgetown County that struggle during what can typically be a stressful time of year. The outreach incorporates a hearty breakfast for close to 300 people and a jovial presentation of the Christmas Story by the Rev. T. Brown, Assistant Rector. Each child receives a new sweatshirt and pair of Levi jeans, two wrapped gifts and a bag of groceries for their family, all donated by individual volunteers.
“What a privilege it is to look the children in the eyes and let them know they are special to Jesus,” shares Helen Jones, founder of the outreach for All Saints Church. “We always have prayer teams available after the presentation, and many parents take advantage of the opportunity.”
“Celebration of Christ” is an extension of the “Give a Kid a Chance” program founded by Grant Cole of St. Andrews in Little Rock, AR, and introduced by Jones to All Saints in 2005, to provide back-to-school supplies for children fitting hte same set of circumstances. Families that attend the summer program are on the mailing list for the Christmas outreach, and registration fills up in one day.
“We had a participant of “Give a Kid a Chance” offer to volunteer her time for the “Celebration of Christ” outreach. Now she is a member of our church, and her son is active in the youth group,” explains Jones. “My prayer is that God would be glorified in all aspects of the outreach, no matter how tedious the details, and He has answered that prayer every year.”
Posted By: Cynthia P. Brust
Categories: Local Events
