While Christmas may seem a few months away, we’re starting to get ready for our “Shoe Box Sunday”. This is Sunday 6 November, when after the morning service we’ll be aiming to decorate and fill 100 shoe boxes as gifts, for Samaritan’s Purse Operation Christmas Child. The mission of Operation Christmas Child is to demonstrate God’s love in a tangible way to needy children around the world, and together with the local church worldwide, to share the Good News of Jesus Christ. We always give shoeboxes to children based on need, regardless of their background or religious beliefs. It’s an unconditional gift of love.
We’re starting now collecting the shoe boxes and lots of things to help fill them. If you would like to help you can join us on Sunday 6 November to decorate and pack the boxes or maybe you can help with some of the items needed to fill them. These included:
TOYS: Include items that children will immediately embrace such as dolls or stuffed toys (with CE label), toy trucks, harmonica, yo-yo, skipping rope, ball, small puzzles etc.
SCHOOL SUPPLIES: Pens, pencils & sharpeners, crayons or felt pens, stamps & ink pad sets, writing pads or notebooks & paper, solar calculators, colouring & picture books etc.
HYGIENE ITEMS: Toothbrush and toothpaste, bars of wrapped soap, comb or hairbrush, flannel.
OTHER ITEMS: Hat, cap, gloves or scarf, sunglasses, hair accessories, jewellery set, wind up torch, wrapped sweets (best-before-date must be at least March of the following year).
DO NOT INCLUDE: used or damaged items, four suit variety playing cards, war related items such as toy guns, play soldiers or knives; chocolate or other food items; liquids or lotions of any type including bubbles; medicines; hand-made or knitted stuffed toys; anything of a political, racial or religious nature; sharp objects; glass containers, mirrors or fragile items; clothing other than as listed above.
The boxes are packed up for a boy or girl in the following age ranges 2-4, 5-9 and 10-14. If you can provide something the church is open Monday afternoons 12.00-4.00pm, Friday 9.00am – 12.00pm and Sunday mornings from 10.30am.
More details can be found here: https://www.samaritans-purse.org.uk/what-we-do/operation-christmas-child/
Help a child smile this Christmas.
