HOliday Giving at St. Paul's

Through your generosity, St. Paul’s makes the holidays happier for local families whose resources are scarce. Together, members and friends of this congregation provide food for hearty Thanksgiving meals and gifts for children through our Holiday Giving project. 


Last year, your compassion and care helped make the holidays brighter for 142 families in our area, including 245 children. 


The holidays are a special time to celebrate how much we can do together when the Spirit moves among us during the holiday season. Please scroll down to read about holiday outreach efforts for 2020.


We also work year-round to share our blessings through out Hunger Ministry. For information please view our Hunger Ministry page.

Holiday Giving Thanks!

Romans 12:13 tells us “Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.” 


Although we could not invite our Hunger Ministry families into the building to extend holiday cheer, St. Paul’s rose to the occasion by sending Christmas to their homes. 


Your generosity made it possible to serve 153 households and 296 children, a combination of the families we serve each month and the county referrals through the Holiday Giving Project.  That is a multitude of gift cards!  


Most impressive was your answer to the call for personalized greeting cards. Literally hundreds of thoughtfully crafted cards arrived with messages of good tidings and hope for the New Year. Those in need will have a brighter holiday because of your faithful contributions to the community. Thank you.

 

 “You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God."  (2 Corinthians 9:11)

Holiday Giving 2020:

Rethinking the GIving Tree

To donate to the Holiday Giving Project, CLICK HERE.


Donations Welcome!


Due to the current covid-19 situation, we will not be able to collect toys through our Giving Tree program, hold our signature Cookies & Carols party, or distribute individual children's gifts.  (The photo below is from our party in 2019!)


This year, we have a different way to share our blessings with the households of our Hunger Ministry families and referrals from Montgomery County's Holiday Giving Project (https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/HHS/PACS/Holiday-Giving.html). 


Although we can't accept "physical" gifts for our families, we are grateful for monetary donations that help us purchase Target and grocery gift cards. We sincerely miss sharing sweet baked treats and the shiny wrapping paper on the presents that brighten the children's holidays, but this ensures families have the resources they need to select meaningful presents and eliminates the chance of spreading covid-19 among volunteers or recipients.


If you’d like to contribute to this work, financial contributions are welcomed any time online by Clicking HERE or by check (made out to St. Paul's UMC, designate "Holiday Giving" in the memo line) mailed to: Holiday Giving, St. Paul’s UMC, 10401 Armory Avenue, Kensington MD 20895.


We are thankful for the many personalized messages and hand-crafted Christmas cards that members and friends have provided to carry our well-wishes and gift cards to our neighbors in need.


Your generosity makes for warm hearts even during cold times. Thank you! 

Thanksgiving Card Challenge

A huge thank you to all who participated in the Thanksgiving Card Challenge. Over 100 very special cards came in and were used for sending 157 households in 20895 a grocery gift card. Thank you for sharing your talents and resources!


This year, St. Paul’s Sunday School community and the Justice & Compassion committee teamed up to prepare Thanksgiving cards and notes for the 140+ Kensington families in need this year. Because of the pandemic, we are not able to physically distribute Thanksgiving food, so the Hunger Ministry and the people of St. Paul’s will be providing extra generous grocery store gift cards instead. 


To add a personal touch, congregants were invited to participate in the Thanksgiving Card Challenge by providing cards or notes to accompany the gift cards. Handmade cards and store-bought cards with personal messages were stuffed with grocery cards and mailed to all of our Hunger Ministry families and county referrals. 


Questions? Please contact Kim Longsworth directly or email the church office (stpaulsunited@stpaulsk.org).