I have said for years that the biggest mission bang for your dollar was the missions offering called the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering. Why so? Because every penny of your gift will go straight to helping and supporting our full-time missionaries around the world. Not one cent is taken out for advertisement, promotion or administrative fees. You will be helping greatly improve the work of our missionaries. Janie and I have traditionally made the first Christmas gift of the year our offering to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering. We know that is one of the most productive uses of our gifts. So far, our church family and friends have given $6,145 to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering. I have no doubt that more will be given.
Now, let me tell you about a new twist to our International Christmas Offering. In the past, we have used the Christmas Eve offering for international missions. It almost always goes to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering. This year, the Christmas Eve offering (unless it is designated to something else) will go to “SEND RELIEF” a part of our International Missions. I am so excited to share with you how this works. We can designate our gifts to buy “projects” that can help a family start a business, provide food and possibly break them out of poverty. Here a list of examples: $3 will buy 10 fish to help a family start a fish farm; $10 will buy seeds to enable a family to grow produce to eat and sell; $25 buys a pair of rabbits…no explanation needed here; $25 buys 10 chickens to give access to eggs and meat that can help start a business; $50 is a pair of pigs; $75 buys a goat; $100 buys a gift of one sheep and $300 one cow; $100 buys blankets for 10 kids; $35 buys 5 books for kids; etc. Now let’s skip to some big ticket items: $2,000 buys a new home for someone is a disaster relief area; $588 buys a bundle of relief that helps a family start their own farm; $375 buys a pallet of water; $750 supplies a three day dental event; $1,000 buys a water well; etc.Can you see why I am so excited? I am praying we will receive a Christmas Eve Offering that will be big enough to purchase at least one of all of these! That would perhaps be the BEST CHRISTMAS GIFT EVER.
Be praying about a gift you might give for the Christmas Eve Offering. Oddly enough, also pray about the way we will receive the gifts. Passing the plate is in our DNA but not in our Covid Mitigation plan! You can, of course, designate your offering to budget or to Lottie Moon. I can’t wait to make another offering on Christmas Eve to help buy a couple of farms!
See you Sunday, the fourth Sunday of Advent.
Pastor Tom
