When this article was being written, it was on the eve of the Fourth of July. It was 90 degrees and a thunderstorm was brewing. The lights 
were flickering.
Oh for it to be Christmas eve!
On Sunday July 22 we’ll have a chance to celebrate Christmas. Christmas in July. There will be one service on this special Sunday; at 10:15. We’ll sing Christmas carols and marvel at the amazing gift of salvation through God’s Son.
Our regular schedule of services at 9:30 and 11:00 will resume next week (7/29/18).
Operation Christmas Child
And there will be gifts too! We won’t be giving expensive toys to be placed under a Christmas tree. Instead we’ll give some basic needs that will be placed in shoeboxes.
Got a shoe box? Can you afford to purchase any small toys, school supplies, sunglasses, or other “stuff” that a child 
could use? Then you can make a huge difference in someone’s Christmas this year!!!
“In support of Operation Christmas Child” we are collecting items that can be packed in a shoebox and given to desperately needy children. The program covers more than 100 countries, and is administered by the Samaritan’s Purse organization (led by Franklin Graham).
Here’s what those shoeboxes do…
The cheerful packages symbolized our congregation’s generosity and commitment to spreading the word of God’s love. Each box contained many little gifts, a treasure chest for the needy child who would receive it. Major categories include personal hygiene items, school supplies, clothing, toys, and hard candy.
Some of these gifts play important practical roles in a child’s life. For example, a simple gift of a pair of socks in countries that require children to wear them in order to attend school. A girl living in an orphanage was so happy when her gift of a toothbrush meant she no longer had to share a brush with 29 other girls. The gift of a bar of soap could even save a child’s life in countries where dreadful, communicable diseases are prevalent. Paper is so scarce that children in many countries are required to erase previous day’s lessons many times to conserve paper. Many children must provide their own supplies.
In countries where the percentage of children under five years old who are seriously underweight reaches over 40 percent, hard candy is more than a luxury treat.
Since 1993, the “shoebox ministry” of Operation Christmas Child has distributed well over 100 million shoeboxes to poor children in approximately 130 countries. Beginning in 2004, many of our church members have generously contributed toward 716 shoeboxes, expressions of God’s love bringing blessings to the children.
What Can I Donate?
During our Christmas in July, a “shoebox” will be accepting gifts during the service. Here are a bunch of ideas of items you can donate to this box:
(yes, the pictures are “tongue in cheek” and not meant to represent actual items- or people… )
- outfit
- shoes
- musical instrument
- soccer ball (with pump)
- stuffed animal
- doll
- toy cars
- jump ropes
- yo-yos
- toys that light up and make noise (with extra batteries!)
- socks
- hats
- sunglasses
- hair clips
- jewelry and watches
- flashlights (with batteries!)
- toothbrushes (but NO toothpaste!)
- bar soap
- washcloths
- combs
- pens, pencils, sharpeners
- crayons and markers
- notebooks and paper
- coloring and picture books
- solar calculators
- Write a message to the child
- Include a picture of yourself, your family, or group
if you include a return address the child may be able to write back… Of course, you might want to send a friendlier pose than implied by the above two examples…
- hair bowls
- finger puppets
- friendship bracelets
What Can I NOT Donate???
Use your imagination and donate any of the above. However, there is also a list of things that CAN’T be donated.
Because of shipping and customs regulations, Samaratin’s Purse is not able to accept the following types of items:
- Anything used
- glue sticks, scissors
- war-related toys
- perishable food items
- Any candy (new restriction…)
- Toothpaste (new restriction…)
- liquids,
- medicines
- anything breakable.
