But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
Holiday Outreach Opportunities
Subtitle:
2009
Author:
Erin Dung
Date Given:
October 27, 2009 Boxes of Love
With Here’s Life Inner City (HLIC)
What is the purpose of a Box of Love? A Box of Love contains quality food, a Bible, a Desiring God “For Your Joy” pamphlet, and other evangelistic literature. Those delivering the boxes use the materials to connect families with the church and to share the joy, mercy, and grace of Christ. One box for one family can mean an eternal impact for the Kingdom! There are two ways you can be involved. To financially sponsor a “Box of Love,” visit hlictwincities.org (each box costs $36.71). To help put together Boxes of Love at the HLIC warehouse November 16–21, sign up at hlictwincities.org to volunteer. Come with friends, your small group, family, or by yourself. Contact: John & Chris Sather at 612.338.0999, ext 11.
Thanksgiving Food Drive
With Bethlehem’s Helping Hand
The Helping Hand Committee hosts an annual Thanksgiving Food Drive. This year’s donations go to area food shelves: Community Emergency Services near the Downtown Campus, Ralph R Reeder Food Shelf near the North Campus, and Community Action Council near the South Site. On November 14/15, we will pass out empty bags at all campuses with instructions about what food to donate. Please bring the bags, filled with non-perishable food items, back to the worship services the weekend before Thanksgiving. Volunteers will be on hand in the parking lots to collect your donations beginning 30 minutes before all services on November 21/22. Contact: Joby Morgan at 612.455.3460.
Chinese-American Afternoon
With China Outreach Ministries
Several hundred future leaders of China doing graduate work at the U of M are looking for American friends and are curious about Christianity. Sunday, November 15, you have an opportunity to host a Chinese student or family in your home for a meal. Afterward, take the student to a short outreach program at the Downtown Campus, Room 322, from 3:00 to 4:00pm. Contact: Bob & Joanne Kraftson at 651.437.6806 (home), 651.303.7683 (cell).
Women’s Christmas Celebration
With Bethlehem’s Women’s Ministries
We pray God would use this celebration, “He Came to the Humble,” to change how believers and unbelievers think about Christmas. On November 7/8, visit our table to pick up a complimentary program ticket to the musical program (Saturday, December 5, 9:30–10:45am at the Downtown Campus) to be used for a door prize drawing. After the program, consider going to lunch with your guests. If you prefer, you may purchase a $12 ticket on November 7/8 for a light luncheon following the program. (Limit 5 luncheon tickets per person). Contact: Anne Golliher at 612.455.3472.
Operation Christmas Child
With Samaritan’s Purse
Provide joy and hope to children in desperate situations around the world through gift-filled shoe boxes and the gospel of Jesus Christ. Bring a gift, or volunteer to help staff the table or transport gifts. See information on packing a box at samaritanspurse.org (gift labels are also available online or at all campuses Nov 14/15). Shoe-Box Gift Drop-Off is November 21/22 at all services (all campuses).
South Contact: Eric Tibayan at 612.746.2655.
North Contact: Heather Elting-Ballard at 763.767.7350
Downtown Contact: Scott Anderson at 612.455.3443.
Care for an Adventure Girl
Provide and/or deliver a gift, cookies, or a meal to an Adventure Girl or her family; provide gifts for the Adventure Girl Christmas Store that will be held at Elliot Park Community Center; help with the set-up of the store (Wednesday morning, December 2) or in distributing the gifts (Wednesday, December 2, 6:00pm). Contact: Marlene Johnson at 952.884.3982.
Help Love the Youth of Minneapolis With SAY Yes!
Small groups and families are encouraged to sign up to provide stockings for inner-city youth who are a part of Bethlehem’s SAY Yes! Center. This would include shopping for the stockings and gifts, filling the stockings, and delivering them to the 16/33 Center located at 1628 E 33rd St, Minneapolis 55407 by Tuesday, December 1.
Contact: Toph Majors at 612.600.4879.
Various Projects
For other ideas on how to serve, watch the Star newsletter to learn about various other service project opportunities happening at Bethlehem around the holidays.
Give Gifts for Angel Tree
Display the mercy of Christ and build a relationship with a family by providing and delivering gifts for children of people who are incarcerated. Pick up names at the Angel Tree table at the Downtown Campus at worship services during the weekends of November 28/29 and December 5/6. Contact: Joyce Gerten at 612.782.0632.
Honor the Sanctity of Human Life
Bethlehem supports both New Life Family Services (Downtown and North campuses) and Amnion Crisis Pregnancy Center (South Site). Both pro-life ministries serve those facing unplanned pregnancies and would appreciate your help during Christmas. From Thanksgiving weekend, November 28/29, to Christmas weekend, December 26/27, please visit the Christmas tree at your campus. Take an ornament and fulfill the request on the ornament. For Amnion, deliver items to the South Site Christmas tree during weekend worship services. For New Life, send a donation in the provided envelope. Contact: Wayne King at 612.716.1715.
Share Your Faith
With Tuesday Evangelism & Training
Proclaim the excellencies of Christ with us for the joy of all peoples. Meet in the Downtown Campus Commons on Tuesdays at 6:30pm. We begin with prayer, go out in pairs, then close with prayer at 8:45pm. One-on-one training is offered with biblical and practical methods for sharing our faith in Jesus Christ. We will also hand out invitations to Bethlehem’s worship services this holiday season. Contact: Justin Hoover at 651.274.6921.
Invite Your Neighbors Over
If you want to share the love of Christ with your neighbors, try this: Invite them over for some hot chocolate and cookies. Sit with them. Learn their names. Listen to their stories. And when the night has ended and strangers have left as friends, ask the Lord to deepen that friendship and prepare good soil for the gospel. Contact: Mike Tong at 612.234.1234. If you plan on doing this, I’d love to pray for you and hear how it goes. Save your grocery receipt and we’ll pay for the cookies and drinks.
Deliver Christmas Cookies
Volunteer to bring a tin full of homemade Christmas cookies to an elderly person or couple in our church family that may have a difficult time attending worship services regularly. To participate, pick up a card on December 12/13 after services at the Info Booth at any campus. Contact: Keith Anderson at 612.338.7653, ext. 715.