St Columba's URC
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Shoebox Sunday 2019

November 17, 2019 / admin / 2019, News
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On Sunday 17 November, we brought shoeboxes to church, filled with toys, pens and paper, hats and scarves, and equally importantly, love, care, kindness and hope.  It is all part of Operation Christmas Child, ensuring that poor children in other countries receive a present for Christmas.  In Junior Church, we learned about Belarus, where boxes from North Shields will go, and in church we lit a candle for the children of that country.  Meanwhile, the adults, saw a video telling the story of one young woman who had been moved by a shoebox present she received as a child in post-Communist Romania.  We were urged to continue to listen and respond to those in need around the world.

christmas, operation christmas child, samaritans purse, shoeboxes

Shoebox Sunday

November 19, 2017 / admin / 2017, News
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Sunday 19 November was Shoebox Sunday at St Columba’s.

For many years, the church has supported Samaritan’s Purse’s Operation Christmas Child project.  People from all over the area have been coming to drop off shoeboxes at the church, and many were added in today’s service.  A couple of hundred boxes were piled up at the front of the church and blessed before heading out on a journey around the world.

Each shoebox is filled with gifts such as toys, games, balls, paper and pens, hats, scarves, gloves, soap, toothpaste and brush, given with love, to be transported to a church in a poor country, for a child who otherwise might not get any Christmas presents.  There is also an option for the child to learn about Jesus and the Christmas story.

In today’s service, we reminisced on Christmases past, particularly those in the era of post-war rationing, when parents had little to give to their children in this country.

 

children, christmas, operation christmas child, samaritans purse, shoeboxes

The Journey of a Shoebox

November 7, 2016 / admin / 2016, News
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Sunday 6 November was our Shoebox Sunday.  We watched a moving video of the journey of a shoebox from the UK to children in Ukraine and Liberia.  Operation Christmas Child has been running for 26 years, and now reaches 124 million poor children each year, providing each with a shoebox packed with gifts.

We collected 124 shoeboxes at St Columba’s, with the help of friends and local schools.

Sunday also saw a triple baptism and a parade by our own 4th Tynemouth Beavers, Cubs and Scouts.

operation christmas child, samaritans purse, shoeboxes

Shoebox Sunday

November 15, 2015 / admin / 2015, News
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shoeboxes

Our morning service on Sunday 15 November took the theme of preparation.

It was also Shoebox Sunday!

Once again St Columba’s supported Operation Christmas Child, filling nearly 200 shoeboxes with gifts for children in other countries who would otherwise not get any Christmas presents.

Such a big international effort requires a good deal of preparation.  Some people had been knitting scarves, hats, gloves and toys all year to put in their shoeboxes.  We reflected that we are so lucky – our treasured belongings would not fit in something as small as a shoebox.

It was good to see the kindness and compassion that lead church members and friends to prepare shoeboxes, which would be taken to a collection centre for distribution around the world in time for Christmas.  These reflect the Advent themes of hope, peace, love and joy, and will surely make a difference to less fortunate children.

We also saw two short videos and a puppet show, bringing home the love that goes into the shoeboxes and the sheer delight that they bring to the children that receive them.

shoeboxesknitwear

children, christmas, operation christmas child, samaritans purse, shoeboxes

Shoebox Sunday

December 4, 2013 / admin / 2013, News
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Over 200 shoeboxes were gathered in church on Sunday 17 November, before going out to children in poor countries in time for Christmas.

Once again St Columba’s members, supported by schools and the local community, has been able to brighten the lives of deprived children, through charity Samaritan’s Purse’s Operation Christmas Child.  As the charity says, “Since 1990, more than 100 million boys and girls in over 130 countries have experienced God’s love through the power of simple shoe box gifts from Operation Christmas Child. Samaritan’s Purse works with local churches and ministry partners to deliver the gifts and share the life-changing Good News of Jesus Christ.”  The boxes were filled with small gifts such as toys, colouring books, toiletries, hats, scarves and gloves.  For some, this may be the first Christmas present they have ever opened.

church, north shields, operation christmas child, samaritans purse, shoeboxes, st columba's, united reformed, urc
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