Advent Giving 2019

This project is inspired by the three Magi, who traveled to meet the baby Jesus with precious gifts to honor and worship him. The three giving trees will be located in the lobby hallway starting Sunday, December 1, and will be decorated with tags to take home and shop for our neighbors that need assistance this winter.

• Our first Magi giving tree
  will be dedicated to providing new hats, socks, scarves, mittens, and gloves to provide warmth to many Toledo neighbors this winter season. The Sunday School children will also be collecting items for this tree as their sharing project throughout Advent. Please place items directly on the tree by December 22.
• Our second Magi giving tree
  will focus on collecting a $25 Gift Card to Target or Meijer to reward Hawkins Elementary students who have shown the most growth in their new computerized literacy program. The gift cards will be given to the top boy and girl in each class in the name of the Hawkins Epworth partnership. Please return the gift cards on or before December 22 and place in the labeled container near the second Magi Tree.
• Our third Magi giving tree
  will provide opportunities to bless families transitioning from homelessness to permanent housing through Leading Families Home. Please purchase an item or items from the list on the tree "ornaments" and return unwrapped on or before December 22 and place in the labeled container near the Third Magi Tree.
• Advent Bags
  we are collecting grocery bags full of daily household supplies for three local community agencies: St. Paul's Community Center, YWCA Domestic Violence Shelter, and Lifeline Toledo. The bags have 2 lists stapled to them - one to take off and take to the store with you to aid you in your shopping, and one to let us know which agency it will go to when returned. You do not need to get all of the items on the list. Just fill it up and return by December 22 in the lobby near the Giving Trees.

• Heifer International  
  Is a non-profit, humanitarian organization dedicated to ending world hunger and saving the earth by providing livestock, trees, training and other resources to help poor families in the USA and around the globe. A donation to Heifer International pays for livestock and technical training in animal management and care. You can purchase heifers, llamas, goats, tree seedlings, honey bees, pigs, chickens, and more! Make a donation in someone else’s name and you will receive a card that can be sent as an acknowledgment of the donation. This is a great gift idea for those hard-to-buy for people on your list. The Heifer giving model also teaches a wonderful lesson to your children. Stop by the information table in the lobby on Sundays, December 1, 8, & 15. If you have questions, email Rob Wilson using the form below.

• Salvation Army Bell Ringers
  Epworth volunteers will be manning a kettle at Kroger (corner of Holland-Sylvania & Bancroft) on Thursday, December 12, Friday, December 13 and Saturday, December 14 from 9am–7pm, in one-hour shifts. This is a wonderful service opportunity for individuals, families, or small groups. Sign-up sheets are in the church lobby starting November 24. Thank you for helping! If you have questions, email Bob Town using the form below.

• St. Paul’s: Donate Hams For A Christmas Dinner
  Thank you for helping St. Paul’s Community Center as they prepare and serve a Christmas meal to people without homes in our community. Mark your ham (tradition or football style) and put it in the church refrigerator. Hams will be delivered to St. Pauls through Monday, December 22.

If you are unable to shop and would like a Christmas elf to do it for you, we are gladly accepting monetary donations. Please mark them "Advent donations". Let's celebrate this wondrous Christmas season by bringing gifts to assist our local community as the three Magi did for baby Jesus so many years ago. Please contact
Susan using the form below with any questions.