Advent Conspiracy doesn’t mean no gift giving. But it does call us to consider two aspects of Jesus’ giving:
Relational Giving:
Instead of presents, give presence. As Jesus gave us Himself, so we can give of ourselves to others. Isn’t this more meaningful and lasting after all? Go to www.rethinkingchristmas.com for ideas.
Needful Giving:
One of the reasons to spend less on Christmas gifts is so that you can give more where it is truly needed. With so much need in this broken world, there is no lack of worthy causes. We are focusing primarily on Lutheran Malaria Initiative at St. John’s this month. As mentioned elsewhere, we will have special offerings throughout Advent for this. But there are many other opportunities to be a blessing through giving. Here are a few that we encourage you to consider. Instead of buying someone a gift they don’t need, how about making a donation in their name?
Compassion, International (www.compassion.com)
Share your love, prayers and support with a boy or girl who lives in poverty.
Compassion International
Colorado Spring, CO 80997
International Justice Mission (www.ijm.org)
A human rights agency that secures justice for victims of slavery, sexual exploitation and other forms of violent oppression.
IJM
PO Box 58147
Washington, D.C. 20037
Living Water International (www.water.cc)
Dedicated to providing clean drinking water to those in need.
Living Water International
PO Box 35496
Houston, TX 77235-5496 USA
Local Organizations
- The Table
- Napa Food Bank
