Hopefully by the time most of you read this you will have received a leaflet in church and know a little about the aim of the venture.  You will all be aware that the first Sunday in December has traditionally been a ‘Toy Service’ in the parish.  Our gifts were given to the Local Authority to give to children in need locally.  The last two years, however, it has been very difficult to donate the toys.  Last year we were specifically asked not to deliver any toys.

This year the PCC thought they would like to take a slightly different approach and look at giving via The Mustard Seed Relief Missions Charity.  The charity operates the ‘Love in a Box’ scheme.  This sends gift wrapped shoe boxes with various gift items in them to children in Romania, Moldova and Ukraine.  You can take a look at their website at [1] http://www.msrm.org.uk.  I would like to encourage you all to [2] pick up a leaflet and consider making up a box. 

If you feel unable to make one up on your own, maybe you could partner up with someone.  Or if you belong to one of the many groups or teams within the church, perhaps your group could consider making up a box or two between them.  The charity is quite specific about the contents of the box and how it should be presented.  This is to do with the sensitive nature of some of the experiences of the children, and also for an easier passage through customs.  The leaflet does explain everything very clearly.  The collection date we have been given is at the end of November, so we are going to make Sunday 22 November the ‘Love in a Box’ collection day in both churches.  

 Claire Holt