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Operation Christmas Child at St. John's Lutheran Church
St. John’s has needed to withdraw as a drop-off location for Operation Christmas Child (OCC). In the process of getting organized for this year's campaign we were confronted with the need to agree with some doctrinal statements that are incompatible with our Lutheran statements of faith. Our attempts to find compromise were unsuccessful.
The position of St. John’s is that it should be unnecessary to be in full doctrinal agreement with other Christian groups in order to do basic humanitarian charity. It is with regret that we have needed to withdraw from OCC.
If there are members of St. John’s who are already collecting items for this year, we will provide information on how to complete those contributions and where they will be collected. Melinda Ellis and Rhoda Moore, who have done so much for this program over the years, are happy to assist you in this effort.
St. John’s will be looking for another program for the future. OCC has been a great ministry for St. John’s and we want to offer wonderful opportunities for our members and friends of St. John’s by being Christ's hands and feet in the world.
............The Shepherd's Voice, Volume 16, Issue 3, June/July/August 2016
Last year's Operation Christmas Child project was held from November 15 - 22, 2015.
In November of 1998, St. John's Lutheran became the first church in Beaufort County to participate in Operation Christmas Child. That year we collected 101 gift filled shoe boxes that we delivered to Savannah, GA.
Melinda Ellis led the St. John’s Operation Christmas Child campaign again this past year, ably assisted by her sister Rhoda Moore. Thanks to all who donated items that were used to assemble shoeboxes from our church. St. John’s packed 232 boxes this year.
Our youth helped pack boxes during Sunday School on November 15, and helped to finish packing after church on November 22.
St. John’s was once again an Operation Christmas Child collection site for Beaufort. This year we collected a total of 746 boxes which was 58 cases. We also had 27 volunteers with a total of 136.5 volunteer hours. Thanks to all of the volunteers!
The gift filled boxes are delivered to the poorest children in the world.
They also receive a tract that tells the story of Jesus and God's Love for all people.
"Many have never had a gift of any kind. Some of these children live in slums or even garbage dumps. Many are in war torn countries. Even after eleven years I never tire of the stories told by missionaries about the life changing experiences triggered by this simple act of kindness". ...Walter Cox
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