What does Christmas look like in the middle of summer? At Christ Church, it looked like hundreds of parishioners gathering together to share the love of Jesus with children they may never meet.
Over the past several weeks, our church family participated in Operation Christmas Child, a ministry of Samaritan’s Purse that delivers shoebox gifts to children around the world. Each box is filled with practical items, toys, personal notes, and—most importantly—an invitation to hear the good news of Jesus Christ.
Parishioners assembled gift boxes at home throughout July, and on Sunday, August 2, families, students, and adults stayed after worship for our annual Christmas in July Packing Party. Together, volunteers packed over half the total shoebox gifts in a single afternoon, transforming the Fellowship Hall into a joyful assembly line of generosity.
Now that the initiative has concluded, our congregation has prepared hundreds of Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes—both at home and at the packing event—ready for delivery to Samaritan’s Purse.
Each of those boxes represents more than a gift. It represents a child who will receive a tangible expression of God’s love, an opportunity to hear the Gospel, and a reminder that God’s children are seen, valued, and deeply loved.
We are grateful for every person who donated gifts, volunteered, packed boxes, gave financially, and wrote personal notes of encouragement. Through your generosity, Christ Church is helping bring hope to children around the world—and participating in God’s mission of making Jesus known.
Please join us in praying for every child who will receive one of these boxes, that the gifts would open hearts to the hope found in Jesus Christ.
