What it's really all about!
Man are my dawgs tired! Such a long day, but such a good day. Today our congregation provided Thanksgiving baskets & $45 gift cards from Pick & Save for 41 needy families at Burbank school. I was absolutely amazed at how generously my folks responded to a call for help.
For the past several years, we have done similar boxes for 25 families every year, along with a $25 gift card. When Ms. Derby at Burbank said they had such a long list of families this year, and she didn't know how many she could cut from the list, I wondered if we could increase by 16 boxes. So early this week I sent an email to the congregation saying we've been challenged by the call to help. Today, not only did the congregation give almost $1100 specifically for Burbank families, the collection boxes were overflowing with food. In addition, instead of the usual 6 or 7 volunteers to deliver them, I have 14 teams of people hauling all this food to those 41 families. Not only did we almost double the number of families helped, we almost doubled the amount of the gift cards too. Is that awesome or what???
This effort every year is one of the things I am most proud of at Martin Luther Church. The whole congregation just embraces this ministry, and it has become a bonding thing for us all. The confirmation students every year very enthusiastically spend the afternoon sorting and filling boxes. (Of course, maybe they're so enthusiastic because it means no class!) Michelle & Steve take this project on as their ministry too - coordinating the sorting and packing, shopping and delivery. This would never happen without them. And I must really point out one very impressive young woman in my congregation named Deidre. She not only helped "manage" the confirmation youth, but also said she wanted to stay until Michelle & Steve got done with the shopping so she could help finish the job. Poor thing got stuck waiting until I was done then too, so I could give her a ride home. She's just an awesome young woman though, and I feel very honored to know her and be her pastor. (I'm not just saying that because she is a faithful reader of my blog either.) If I did have a daughter, I would hope she would be even close to being like Deidre!
The work isn't finished yet. Steve's printing out delivery maps tonight and Michelle is getting notes and gift cards ready. Over the next 2 days those teams of folks are venturing off to find unknown addresses in sometimes questionable neighborhoods. I'm sure I'll get at least a few calls from people with "what do I do now?" questions. But it sure is worth it when all is said and done. There is a definite feeling of accomplishment that comes with this every year. I also make sure I get to deliver a few boxes myself, because if I hit it right and get to meet some folks in person, the appreciation they express just speaks Thanksgiving to me for days to come.
Yep, these days remind me why I do what I do.
For the past several years, we have done similar boxes for 25 families every year, along with a $25 gift card. When Ms. Derby at Burbank said they had such a long list of families this year, and she didn't know how many she could cut from the list, I wondered if we could increase by 16 boxes. So early this week I sent an email to the congregation saying we've been challenged by the call to help. Today, not only did the congregation give almost $1100 specifically for Burbank families, the collection boxes were overflowing with food. In addition, instead of the usual 6 or 7 volunteers to deliver them, I have 14 teams of people hauling all this food to those 41 families. Not only did we almost double the number of families helped, we almost doubled the amount of the gift cards too. Is that awesome or what???
This effort every year is one of the things I am most proud of at Martin Luther Church. The whole congregation just embraces this ministry, and it has become a bonding thing for us all. The confirmation students every year very enthusiastically spend the afternoon sorting and filling boxes. (Of course, maybe they're so enthusiastic because it means no class!) Michelle & Steve take this project on as their ministry too - coordinating the sorting and packing, shopping and delivery. This would never happen without them. And I must really point out one very impressive young woman in my congregation named Deidre. She not only helped "manage" the confirmation youth, but also said she wanted to stay until Michelle & Steve got done with the shopping so she could help finish the job. Poor thing got stuck waiting until I was done then too, so I could give her a ride home. She's just an awesome young woman though, and I feel very honored to know her and be her pastor. (I'm not just saying that because she is a faithful reader of my blog either.) If I did have a daughter, I would hope she would be even close to being like Deidre!
The work isn't finished yet. Steve's printing out delivery maps tonight and Michelle is getting notes and gift cards ready. Over the next 2 days those teams of folks are venturing off to find unknown addresses in sometimes questionable neighborhoods. I'm sure I'll get at least a few calls from people with "what do I do now?" questions. But it sure is worth it when all is said and done. There is a definite feeling of accomplishment that comes with this every year. I also make sure I get to deliver a few boxes myself, because if I hit it right and get to meet some folks in person, the appreciation they express just speaks Thanksgiving to me for days to come.
Yep, these days remind me why I do what I do.
posted by Kris at 11/18/2007 05:07:00 PM
1 Comments:
there's the story that reminds you what the season is all about ... thanks for sharing!
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