Christ Church Outreach News: November 21, 2024
Angel Tree Drive Will Brighten Christmas for Howard County Children
In a heartfelt tradition, the Outreach Commission invites parishioners to purchase new clothing and special items to complete Christmas gift “packages” for young angels. We are supporting a dozen children ages 10 to 13 to meet a need identified by the Howard County (Central Maryland) division of The Salvation Army. The nonprofit organization oversees the Angel Tree initiative here and elsewhere.
To participate, please provide one or more gifts for a girl or boy on our list. Each one will receive an outfit, consisting of pants and a top. Besides the clothing, there are three other categories this year for each angel: Need, Wish, and Favorite item.
Some parishioners prefer to sign up for just one slot, such as the practical (need) category for a single child. Some parishioners desire to complete the entire “package’ for an angel by signing up in all four categories. Another shopper might choose the clothing (outfit) category for multiple angels.
The children’s wants and needs offer clues to their personalities and circumstances. Among the six girls, for example, Juliet, age 12, wishes for flower Legos and lists a soccer ball as her favorite item. Among the six boys, Jordan, age 12, hopes for a remote-controlled race car as his favorite item and asks for winter clothing as his needed item. That’s in addition to the outfit (pants and a top) that all the children will receive.
Starting this week, you can go directly to the Christ Church 2024 Angel Tree SignUp or visit cecevents.org/AngelTree2024 to view the list and make your choices. It has instructions on the next steps. Also, be on the lookout for the Angel Tree poster on the campus walls, and the Angel Tree with QR code on the Narthex TV. There are many ways to sign up and take part in this annual necessity.
In keeping with tradition, you can also scan the choices by gazing at the tags on our decorated Angel Tree in the Narthex. Please leave the tags on the tree. You’ll also find the “angels” names and ages on a spreadsheet displayed nearby. For those in Old Brick, we’ll bring the list to you. In either location, we’ll ask that you sign up for your angel by using the online form. You’ll get a slip with the child’s name, ID, and wished-for gift. Someone will be on hand after worship services on Sunday, Nov. 24, and Sunday, Dec. 1, to assist anyone with logging on.
The deadline to bring in your unwrapped Angel Tree gifts will be noon on Friday, December 6. Please put them under the tree or in the Parish Hall Operations Room. With your help, we will lift the hearts not only of the angels but of their families. Parents obtain the unwrapped gifts from The Salvation Army to prepare for a Christmas that will be much brighter than they could otherwise afford.
If you wish to participate by giving some of your time, please volunteer for sign-up duty or general assistance. The first duty involves helping people to log on to a device to register after worship on Nov. 24 and Dec. 1. The second may involve shopping or other tasks, likely on delivery day, Dec. 6. To volunteer, specify Sign-up or General, or both, in an email to outreach@christchurchcolumbia.org.
Kudos to All Who Have Helped Hungry Households by Donating to Our Thanksgiving Food Drive for the Howard County Food Bank
The table in the Narthex and the yellow bin at Old Brick were brimming with goods such as stuffing mix, gravy, and canned vegetables. These will brighten the holidays for many of our neighbors, as the Howard County Food Bank expects to feed about 1,000 people for Thanksgiving and another 1,000 for Christmas by distributing "Holiday Meal Kits."
Christ Church partners with the Community Action Council of Howard County (CAC), which operates the food bank. We further supported CAC with a monetary donation for its holiday meal kits. The drive ends Thursday, Nov. 21. On Friday, members of the Outreach Commission will deliver the bounty, which includes a few staples like pasta and peanut butter for after the holidays. Thank you for your generosity!
Lake Elkhorn Middle School “Kindness Pantry” Sign-Up
LEMS and Cradlerock Elementary School have created a Kindness Pantry that provides food and household supplies for families in the community. The Pantry will be set up on the second Monday of each month from 3:30-4:30 p.m. The first pantry will be on Monday, December 9th, and we currently need the following items by next Sunday, December 1:
5 Small bottles of dish soap
5 Small boxes of tall kitchen-size trash bags
3 Small boxes of canola/cooking oil
The schools are asking our church to help with the Pantry in two ways - first, they would appreciate donations of the items listed on the Kindness Pantry sign-up sheet in the Narthex. Items will be collected in a marked box there, as well. Second, they need several people to help school staff set up, distribute items to families, and take down the pantry one afternoon each month. Some people have stepped up for December (thank you!), but we can certainly use your help in January and beyond, so please keep us in mind. And if you can help with collecting goods AND operating the Kindness Pantry, that's great! Check the Narthex for the latest needs, and if you have questions, please speak with or email Cathy Whittaker at LEMS@christchurchcolumbia.org. THANK YOU in advance!
Help Families in Need by Filling the Altar Basket and our FISH Bin on the Breezeway
If you are concerned about people in our midst who are going hungry, please consider regularly donating non-perishables to FISH of Howard County. Put groceries and/or toiletries in the altar basket in New Brick or in a marked yellow bin on the breezeway between Old Brick and Parish Hall. FISH provides committed support to select families in need. The neighbors you help give thanks for all you do in their support.
Columbia Community Care Needs Diapers, Recruits Volunteers of All Ages
Columbia Community Care (CCC) keeps its pantry open each Wednesday from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. in hopes of attracting youth who earn community service credits at their public schools by sorting supplies. Also, teens can help at upcoming events. Find options on the CCC Facebook Group. Go online to learn how to volunteer.
Those who need groceries and other necessities can find information by going online to “Get Help” on CCC’s website.
CCC continues to request baby-care items and diapers, especially sizes 4-6. Put these along with sanitary and personal care items and adult diapers in the yellow bin, marked “CCC,” inside the Parish Hall. Drop off items on weekdays when the church office is open or on Sundays. The Christ Church point of contact is Leigh Smith, who monitors the bin and delivers items.
In general, if you have suggestions about ways to help the community, if you want to get involved, or if you need assistance, please email Christ Church Outreach at outreach@christchurchcolumbia.org. Your help is greatly welcomed and appreciated. Thank you.
