This year the Christian Education Team hosted the Alternative Gift Fair from November 25-December 30.  The Alternative Gift Fair is an easy and meaningful way to honor friends and relatives with donations while sharing the love of Christ.  This year the Alternative Gift Fair ministries were Loaves and Fishes, Presbyterian Mission Agency, Presbyterian Disaster Assistance and Feed My Starving Children.  Giving alternative gifts simplifies Christmas with gifts that give hope in our community and throughout the world.

Loaves and Fishes  For the past two decades, the Loaves & Fishes program has been providing a warm, nutritional meal and genuine hospitality for the needy of Fond du Lac. Twice a week, a group of volunteers has gathered to serve from 200 to 350 meals. Hundreds of volunteers have taken turns pitching in to prepare these meals, serve the guests and clean up afterwards.  First Presbyterian Church provides meals 4 times a year.  Wednesday, February 6 is our next date to serve.  Donations of $475 dollars were given to providing 190 meals.

Presbyterian Disaster Assistance enables immediate response to national and international disasters and strengthens ongoing work such as training and development, refugee ministry, and response to disasters that do not receive media attention. They focus on the long-term recovery of disaster impacted communities as well as provide training and disaster preparedness for presbyteries and synods.  Donations of $380 were given to provide School, Hygiene and Clean Up Kits and more for people in need.

The Presbyterian Mission Agency assists millions around the world who are facing daily struggles to access food, clean drinking water and shelter. The purchase and distribution of animals, the building of wells to provide life-giving clean water to entire communities, and ministries to youth and young adults are among ways your gift will be filling a need and making an impact here in the United States and around the globe. The Presbyterian Mission Agency is committed to being good stewards of your gift, and all God had given us, to share with God’s people. Donations of $818 were given to provide families of chickens, a pair of goats, refugee food basket and heating winter fuel, water filters, tree seeds, education for children and more for people in need.

Feed My Starving Children is a Christian non-profit organization that coordinates the packaging and distribution of food to people in developing nations. Founded in 1987, it has reached out to more than 70 countries. For the last several years, members of our church have volunteered for this event when it comes to Fond du lac. FMSC meals are hand-packed by volunteers and sent to an incredible network of partner organizations who distribute them to those in need. More than 1.2 million volunteers packed more than 333 million FMSC meals in 2017. More than 90 percent of total donations go directly to feed under-nourished kids.  Donations of $900 were given to provide 3,600 meals for children in need.

Thank you for Serving Learning and Loving.

Thank you for your generous donations for this year’s Reverse Advent Calendars.

Do you know what a Reverse Advent Calendar is? Instead of removing something every day, you make a contribution to the box with items that can be taken to a place in need in order to help those less fortunate that are struggling at Christmas time.

These wish lists from the various charities have been provided to assist you in knowing how to fill the box.

Boxes for each of the charities will be located in the Narthex.

Feel free to drop off items at any time, not just on their designated weeks.

Click here to find out more on this years reverse Advent calendar brochure