Rethinking Christmas
“Season of Hope”
I didn’t always get to eat what I wanted, but I always got to eat. And I didn’t always get the gift I wanted, but I never remember getting nothing. I didn’t always get to give what I wanted, but I was never in the position of having nothing at all to give.
Just writing the above paragraph betrays how I view Christmas. It’s a time of celebration, complete with giving and receiving gifts. Never in my childhood was there thought of serving (other than those who joined us at the table). We have to change that…we have to redirect our thinking about Christmas…we have to turn this into a Season of Hope.
You can choose any or all of these options and sign up for them below.
- We are seeking to raise at least $8,000 to cover meals for children at Washington School who have little to eat on weekends (it takes approximately $80 per student for the school year). We’ve started with 118 children and the number could grow. Kidzpacks go home each Friday filled with nourishing foods.
- Join us in cleaning Washington and Berrian schools. Be involved as we visit nursing homes to sing and visit those who live there.
- Help us scholarship young people in memorable summer experiences that will help transform their lives.
- Serve at Washington School when we do their Thanksgiving meal.
- Help us with Santa’s Workshop at Washington School.
Help us create a Season of Hope by transforming your own Christmas experience. Help your family rethink the Christmas season. Develop a spirit of generosity and service. Honor a loved one by naming your gift in their honor(gifts $20 and over will be acknowledged). Bless others with that which God has blessed you.
Instructions:
Give a gift to Season of Hope.
- Mark the envelope with information about the person you’d like to have notified.
- Buy a gift card to a summer event and share it as a present with the youth in your life.
- Sign up to participate during A Madison Park Christmas week as we serve others.
Blessed to be a blessing,
Chuck
Here are the places you can help serve this Christmas…
Washington School Clean Up: Wednesday December 7 at 6:30pm. Sign up here.
Santa’s Workshop at Washington School: Tuesday December 20, see sign-up for times needed. The service opportunity for December 19 is full!
Kizpack: Thursdays, 5:30pm at Washington School. Sign up here.
Rethinking Christmas Experience for Student Ministry
It’s easy to get caught up in the moment Christmas morning… opening one present after another, mentally checking off the gifts received with the list created months ago in the mind. The American culture has pushed giving gifts as a means of value to ourselves, our family, and our life; but was it those gifts, year after year, that added depth of value to who you are today? I’m not who I am today because of the material possessions I received, but rather the experiences that I’ve lived. I’m thankful for the men and families who’ve come alongside me and mentored me through spiritual life lessons. I’m thankful for the youth retreats, conferences, and mission experiences that have pushed me out of my comfort zone and gave me and my peers opportunities to add real depth to our relationships. I’m thankful for the community that broadened my perspectives. May we rethink Christmas by not falling prey to the mindset of gifts equaling value, but rather give the gift that is invaluable… experience. Madison Park Church Student Ministries is offering an opportunity to give strategically this Christmas. Gift Cards toward the cost of youth trips will be offered for the months of November and December at the booth in Entrance D lobby. Your monetary gift is more than just money… it’s an experience!
Junior High: Believe Conference//high energy, loud music, cool dramas, art, crazy stunts, interactive videos, dynamic speakers. February 17-18, 2012.
Junior High: Local Sweat//a missional experience for 6th-8th graders. This year we are choosing to serve some unmet needs of the Quincy community. Our students will stay on site at Madison Park Church and serve at work-sites during the day. June 11-14, 2012
High School: Element//in the Smoky Mountains of West Virginia; caving, hiking, high rope courses, whitewater rafting, great photography, along with sessions that challenge everyone to their core. July 15-20, 2012.
College & 20s: GREEN//an inner city Chicago mission experience. Eye opening… life altering. July 25-31, 2012.
May the gift you give be the gift they live! For more information on how you can rethink Christmas through student ministry gifts, contact Tyler Myers at 816.294.7129 or tyler@madisonparkchurch.com.
