While we are humbly mindful of our many blessings during the Thanksgiving season, it is fitting to immediately transition into the season of Advent, a time of preparation for the celebration of the birth of the greatest gift and blessing of all, our Savior, Jesus Christ.  This time of year, we find our hearts in the spirit of giving joyfully and compassionately.

Unfortunately, this can be a stressful season for many of our neighbors who are struggling in these uncertain times, so the Home Missions Team invites you and your joyful, compassionate hearts to participate in passing love, hope, and encouragement on to members of our ministry partners’ communities, through the St. Philip’s Angel Trees.  

The St. Philip’s Home Missions Team will be collecting $25 gift cards for two of our ministry partners, Lowcountry Pregnancy Center (Walmart and Target) and Star Gospel Mission (Family Dollar and Walmart). Please read below to learn more about how these gift cards will be used by the ministries to support their clients and community members while serving as a tangible reminder that God loves them and cares about them.  

From Deb Ohlendorf, Director of Development at Lowountry Pregnancy Center: Walmart and Target gift cards are such a blessing to our clients as they are a two-fold gift. First, we can purchase much-needed baby items, such as larger size diapers, wipes, and formula when we run out, which happens quite often, and second, it allows us to provide an incentive to our dads to attend Fatherhood Classes. We offer a gift card to the men who attend THREE classes, learning the importance of being involved in their child’s life. When the culture speaks ideas to them that their role is insignificant, we can teach them practical, emotional, and spiritual ways that their presence is God’s plan for them and their child. Thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your generous support.

From the Reverend Dr. Marion Platt, Star Gospel’s Executive Director and Pastor:

We use cards from Family Dollar and Walmart to provide assistance for Mission guests’ “non-consumables,” such as undergarments, work clothes, tools, etc. Moreover, the gift cards are helpful to families who come to the Mission in search of assistance with school clothes, diapers, and shoes. We are so grateful for this kind of assistance from St. Philip’s as it helps us serve people with dignity and grace. We love seeing the joy on our guests’ and clients’ faces when they receive this help. Thanks so much, friends!

The trees will be decorated with ornaments, which serve as both a “thank you” from the Home Missions Team and a reminder to pick up one or more gift cards at the stores noted on your ornament tag.  There will be volunteers assisting with ornaments, collecting gift cards, and answering questions in the narthex at the November 27, December 4, and December 11 Sunday services and the November 30 and December 7 Wednesday night services. If you miss the December 11 deadline, you can still bring your gift card(s) to the church office by 9:00 am on Monday, December 12. This is a great time to share the blessings that we have all received with those who have been less fortunate. Let’s make this the best year ever!  Thanks be to God! 

The Home Missions Team would like to acknowledge and thank the St. Philip’s Flower Guild for their generosity in donating the Angel Trees.