I hope you were able to get out and enjoy some of the lovely weather
earlier this week, and that these colder days are giving you ample
opportunity to snuggle up with loved ones - both people and animals!
This Sunday, warm your spirit by joining us for worship, where the
choir will sing the first part of the Messiah. Stay for the
all-church meeting to hear more from the church council, and come
back in the afternoon for Christmas Crafts and the Pasta Supper.During December, our special offering goes to the Christmas Fund for the Veterans of the Cross and the Emergency Fund. This fund helps retired ministers, and it also goes to help others who are currently serving churches. You might be surprised to learn that I have been a beneficiary of this fund. When I was in seminary, I had some unexpected medical costs that I just couldn't cover. The South Central Conference Minister applied to the Christmas Fund on my behalf, and I was given a generous gift that helped to pay these costs. I am extremely grateful for this gift, and I know that when I give to this fund, it goes to those who truly have need. Here is some information about how the funds are used (from pbucc.org):
The generous gifts of UCC congregations and individuals to the Christmas Fund enabled the Pension Boards’ Ministerial Assistance program to provide the following gifts:
Some form of Ministerial Assistance will be provided to approximately 1,600 persons during 2012.
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Christmas
Gift checks were sent to approximately 900 persons in 2011.
Of those who received checks, 20 are over 100 years of age.
The oldest person is 107. One person has received Christmas
checks continuously since 1976. The 900 gifts total
$270,000.
-
Monthly
pension supplementation is being provided to 394 persons.
These gifts total $109,447.17 per month. A significant part
of annual total of $1,255,885.20 comes from the Christmas
Fund. (2012 data)
-
Quarterly
health premium supplementation is being provided to 226
families, totaling $130,456.75 per quarter. All of the
funding for health premium supplementation is derived from
the Christmas Fund. (2012 Data)
-
Emergency
Grants totaling $61,684.23 were provided to 40 individuals
and families from January 1 through November 30, 2012.
As you consider all the worthy causes to which you can contribute this season, I hope you'll include the Christmas Fund in your giving plans. You can place a check in the Sunday offering or give it to the church office (write "Christmas Fund" in the memo line), or you can donate online by clicking here.
Whether or not you can make a financial gift, please take some time to
pray for those who
have given so much of
themselves to serve
the church.
Blessings and peace of the
season to you...
Manda
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