December 21, 2010

Thanksgiving meals, food baskets, Christmas meals and presents were a common theme for those churches, schools and ministries that responded to the third annual Christmas Project conducted by "AG News." The project asked readers to submit how their church/ministry was assisting people in need in their communities this Christmas season.

"You will see some big numbers in some of these responses, and that's wonderful to see so many people being helped," says Dan Van Veen, "AG News" editor. "But I'm just as impressed with smaller numbers – where a smaller church does what it can to reach out to its community. If every church does what it can, whether it be to help a single family of five or provide presents for 5,000, each of those efforts makes a lasting impact."

Although Van Veen says he had hoped for a greater response by churches, he says he feels confident the following submissions simply represents what most AG churches, ministries and schools do in some form over the Christmas season.

"I believe this annual project helps reveal the outward focus of AG churches, ministries and schools," Van Veen says. "I hope people find it encouraging as well as inspiring."

• First Assembly of God, Greeley, Colorado: Hosted Annual Thanksgiving Outreach dinner for over 1,600. Coats, grocery bags and other necessity items were given to the community's needy. The day after Christmas we will be giving away 100 bicycles to needy children.

• Church on the Rock Outreach Center, Lee's Summit, Missouri: Gave out 141 Thanksgiving Dinner food baskets, complete with turkey to needy families; gave out 70 gifts to children in need; gave out 150-200 Christmas Dinner food baskets to families in need.

• Cornerstone Christian Worship Center, Downey, California: We are giving out food baskets to over 150 families every week, giving Christmas presents to 50 children who have a parent in prison, and distributing school supplies to 100 children in Ensenada Mexico.

• Missions Team leaders from Northplace Church, Sachse, Texas: Presented Facebook challenge to collect 100 coats for the Dream Center in Dallas – the number of coats climbed to a total of 230.

• First Assembly Of God, Jefferson, North Carolina: Supplied nine families with a Thanksgiving Dinner, sent care package to children in Honduras, provided a DVD Slide/CD Recorder to missionary Kenneth Harrell and the youth had fund raisers to help the children in Pavia, Czech.

• Assemblies of God church Bellevue Christian Center, Bellevue, Nebraska: Hosts a Thanksgiving meal every year called "Feed the Multitudes" in their gymnasium for 900+ people, most of whom are bussed in.

• River of Life Assembly of God, Boonville, Missouri; and Versailles First Assembly of God Versailles, Missouri: Pairing together for the 10th year of giving for 600-area low-income families – toys, gifts, food, sharing the love of God.

• Evangel University, Springfield, Missouri: Held its annual Christmas Concert as a fund and food raiser benefiting the Salvation Army. Last year, collected more than a ton of food and $1,400.

• West County Assembly of God, Chesterfield, Missouri: Hosted a "Birthday Party for Jesus" and invited as our guests, the residents of a maternity shelter and a domestic violence shelter. We gave several gifts to each mother and child.

• Inner City Church, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma: Fed more than 350 for Thanksgiving. We will host "Christmas in the ‘Hood" and provide free entertainment, haircuts, shoes, pictures with Santa, Christmas presents, health checks, and food to about 1,000 children.

• Calvary Assembly of God, Elizabethtown, Kentucky: We set up a "Christmas Store" at a nursing home for residence to shop for free gifts, to give to family and friends. Volunteers assist in gift selection, wrapping and labeling their gifts for them.

• King's Castle Ministries, El Salvador (Missionaries Don and Terri Triplett): Will be distributing over 30,000 toys to needy children during the month of December – children's camps, PK camps, feeding programs, Jesus Birthday parties, evangelistic outreaches

• Central Assembly of God, Springfield, Missouri: Provided and delivered more than 200 Thanksgiving dinners to people in need and 1,500 presents to kids in neighborhood elementary and middle schools.

• Lincoln County Assemblies of God, Damariscotta, Maine: Hosts an annual community Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner at the church. Have provided heating oil, gifts, plowing et al just to be His hands extended.

AG News