First of all, thank you so much! What a generous bunch of groceries you donated to the Food Bank in November. Your Thanksgiving offering of food is much appreciated by the volunteers and especially by our customers. Come see! The Food and Clothing Bank is open every Tuesday from 9:00 to 11:30 AM.

Thanksgiving Dinners

The Board gave fifteen Thanksgiving Dinners to needy families at Laurel School. Members of the board put these together and Bill and Leon delivered them to the school the week of Thanksgiving. Thanks to Bill for coordinating this project and for his continued love for these Laurel families!

The Giving Tree

The tree near the Welcome Center is Saint John’s Giving Tree, with ornaments representing various needs. This year, Laurel Elementary staff asked for gifts for 25 children. There are also ornaments for donations of gift cards for Bauder Elementary families or Alpha Center. The Christmas gift packages and gift cards will be delivered the week of December 14. Be sure and have your packages and gift cards returned by Sunday, December 13. Thanks for your willingness to support “the least of these.” Our Lord always seems to bless us as much if not more than those who receive the gifts.

Additionally, the Board is challenging each family at Saint John's to take an ornament with the name and address of a shut-in from our congregation. We have a number of elderly who would love a visit in December. You may visit anytime during the month and are encouraged to bring a card and perhaps something to remind them of Christ's birth—a decoration for the room, a book, a picture, or whatever means “Christmas” to you. If you have children or grandchildren, please bring them, as the shut-ins are often deprived of interaction with the very young. Last request: go when you have time to stay a bit. Loneliness is typically their biggest sadness. Thanks!

Nelly Sanford chairs Saint John’s Board of Human Needs, which finds opportunities for the members of Saint John’s to provide a Christian witness by helping people in the community struggling with daily necessities.