November Ministry Spotlight: Angel Tree!

Angel Tree is a ministry that reaches out to the children of inmates and their families with the love of Christ. It seeks to transform the lives of these families and to reconcile them to their Heavenly Father and to each other. There are many hurting children right here in our own communities who are among the most at-risk children in the nation! Angel Tree provides an opportunity to connect with these families and begin ministering to them at Christmas. *http://www.practicenotes.org/vol7_no1.htm

*http://www.citymayors.com/society/usa-prisoners-children.html

+http://somdthisisliving.somd.com/vol7num4/angel_tree.html

Angel Tree at Hubbard Church of the Nazarene

The Angel Tree ministry at Hubbard Church was started by Rick and Lori about 8 years ago as an outreach activity for the Youth. "We wanted to do something to encourage the youth to get involved in giving to the community." Lori told me. And it did! Rick and Lori still coordinate this ministry, and the youth continue to be heavily involved through the many aspects of it. "We help about 30 children every year, from about 26 local families, because a some of the kids are siblings. People really look forward to the opportunity to be involved," Lori said. "A lot of people are older or on a limited budget, and can't take care of both gifts-but they still want to do at least one, because they are so blessed to be apart of this ministry. It's really great to see."

Here's How it works: Rick and Lori sign up our church to participate with Angel Tree, a ministry of Prison Fellowship, which takes registrations from the inmates in the prisons for their children to whom they wish to send gifts. Angel Tree/Prison Fellowship then sends the coordinator materials to Rick and Lori, which include two tags for each child.The ministry is designed to provide two gifts for each child, one fun gift, and one gift of clothing. These gift requests are each represented by a tag,

which is then placed on a tree in the narthex in late November or early December. The set-up and decoration of the Angel Tree is the first of the youth involvement exercises. Eager church members select the children's gift tags they will supply gifts for, and go shopping. Some participants may take two children's gift tags, while others may take only one of the two tags for a child-whatever they want and can do. Some participants who may not be able to go shopping donate money toward the ministry, which opens up the next opportunity for the youth to get involved-shopping! Many gifts for these children have been provided through these donated funds and youth shopping trips with the youth leadership. The week before Christmas, with all the gifts purchased, wrapped and returned to the church, the youth meet to participate in the last step-the delivery of the gifts! Hubbard Church has also chosen to go a step beyond Angel Tree gifts to provide a Holiday food basket meal for each family. This is delivered along with the gifts, so that these precious children can have a good Christmas dinner! Many families and individuals in the church have been immensely blessed to be a part of this wonderful opportunity to reach out to some of the most at-risk kids in our communities with the love of Christ! Please remember to pray for this ministry as a whole, for our church participants, and especially for the kids in our own communities who are without a parent this holiday season due to incarceration! Please pray also for wisdom for and a blessing on those who participate in this opportunity to touch these lives with the powerful love of Jesus! What a chance to truly speak and act His words and deeds! If you would like to get involved with Angel Tree at Hubbard, see Rick and Lori!

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Memories and Testimonials:

I've participated in [Angel Tree] since it started. I try to get a girls name to buy for, as I don't have daughters. I have bought for boys too. It makes me feel blessed to be able to get something for these children, as I know it blesses them as well. I also know that food is taken to the families as well. I feel this is a great ministry we have in our church at Christmas time.

~Karen

Why do I like Angel Tree? It's hard to put into words..a lot of reasons. I really like the Angel Tree ministry because I know that these kids are probably staying with someone who has taken on a lot of extra responsibility already, and might be financially strapped...and I just like to think about bridging the gap between those parents in jail and the kids they can't buy for-because the parents do pick out what they want to get for the child, and then I get to help them make that a reality. The kids really need to know their parents love them, and getting a gift from their parents at Christmas is really important for that. I remember last year I wanted to get an Angel Tree tag, and they ran out before I could get one!

~Rachel

I remember a couple years ago when I was shopping for one of the Angel tree kids who wanted art supplies. Well those can be pretty expensive and the one I really wanted to get was over the limit we were allowed to spend. So I went to the manager of Sam's Club and told him why I was wanting it and that it was over the $25 limit. So he sold it to me for $25. I was so excited. I never heard how the child responded, but it sure made me happy to get what they asked for :-)

~Cindy