It has been our long-standing tradition every Christmas Eve to receive an offering that we give away entirely outside the walls of our church. We have been doing this for years! It’s a simple way of expressing our gratitude to God for the gift of His Son, and of extending Christmas love and care to needy people and places in our world.
This year, our Christmas Eve offering will be distributed to meet both local and global needs.
Locally, half of the special offering will go to Fostering Hope of New England. Fostering Hope empowers churches and individuals to care for children and families impacted by foster care. They dream of a day when ZERO children in foster care are waiting for a safe and supported family to care for them. Ideally, the safe and supported family turns out to be the child’s family of origin through family preservation or reunification. There is an urgent need for more foster families willing to care for children in foster care until they can safely return home. Sadly, reunification is not always possible and in those circumstances, children need someone willing to permanently adopt them into their family.
Currently, there is a chronic shortage of such families. The result? Too many youths in the system waiting for a family; too many kids bouncing from home to home; too many kids living in group homes, and too many kids aging out of the system with no stable family. The good news? Together, we can make a difference! Together we can FLIP the SCRIPT so that instead of children waiting for families, families are the ones waiting for a child who needs them!
Globally, half of the special offering will go to Cedar Home for Girls and the Resurrection Church in Beirut, Lebanon where our partners, Karim and Rita Anayssi worship and serve.
Escalating conflicts across the Middle East have precipitated another humanitarian crisis in Lebanon, as Israeli forces launched extensive attacks on Hezbollah military assets in September. More than 3,000 Lebanese have been killed in the war and over one million people have been displaced from their homes. The violence affects the lives of families on both sides of the border and has caused widespread humanitarian concerns. While dealing with immense challenges, our ministry partner, Cedar Home for Girls is working alongside the Resurrection Church Beirut (RCB). Together, they are serving their neighbors in need by opening their homes, churches, and facilities to provide shelter, along with relief, medicine, counseling, and pastoral care. Pastor Hikmat Kashouh, senior pastor of RCB writes, “Your prayers and support are a lifeline to us. We are in a perfect storm that might destroy our country completely, but that could also transform our country for Jesus. Our churches are in emergency mode, trying to respond and help.”
All of the funds provided for relief in Lebanon will be matched dollar for dollar by the GROVE Group, doubling the impact of your generosity as we share Christ’s love with many hurting people in Lebanon.
You can give an “over and above” gift to the Christmas Eve offering several ways. You can use our app, Grace Chapel Connect. You can give online, grace.org/give and choose the Christmas Eve offering option. You can give through Venmo. Or you can place your gift in the giving boxes in the lobby of the church. Please write “Christmas Eve Offering” in the memo line of your check or write it on the envelope provided on the sides of the giving boxes.
Thank you in advance for your generosity as you share the love of Christ this Christmas locally and globally!
