Thank you to all who have contributed to the Mission projects so far this year. Your donations of materials and money, time and talents have touched the lives of thousand of people around the world.
Upcoming Mission Projects:
Christmas Fund Offering (Veterans of the Cross)
Gifts to the Christmas Fund help provide pension and health premium supplementation to low-income retirees, emergency assistance to the families of clergy and lay employees and Christmas “Thank You” Gift Checks to hundreds of annuitants.
As the United Church of Christ celebrates 52 years of ministry in 2009, the Christmas Fund celebrates 107 years of continuous ministry to those who serve the church.
Facts taken from a 1953 publication indicate that: "In 1902, a little money was collected and special Christmas gifts were sent to 10 older ministers." The same article also reports that $121,054 was received for the Christmas Fund in 1952.
Fifty-six years later, the 2008 Christmas Fund received $1,600,000 and provided assistance to nearly 1,500 individuals and families. Our goal is to be able to provide at least $1,650,000 in assistance from the 2009 appeal.
Amid a depressed economic climate that continues to drag on, your gifts are needed more than ever to help the growing number of retirees whose low income annuities make it difficult to meet increasing living costs. Requests for Ministerial Assistance provided by the Christmas Fund are greater than at any point in recent history.
