A letter from Tracy: CSM’s Holiday Families
The weather has changed, and the leaves are changing around us. I just returned from the Christian Community Development Association (CCDA) annual conference in Cincinnati, Ohio. Thirty-five years ago, at the first conference, a loving family of believers introduced me to scriptural principles that my faith tradition had not taught me, particularly loving my neighbor. Starting my holiday season with my CCDA family, representing the diverse cultures created in God’s image, is always special. CCDA’s worship, fellowship, friendship, and relationships have significantly transformed the way I approach ministry.
Like our CCDA family, you, our volunteers, and participating churches are part of the CSM Holiday family. Fall at CSM is an exciting season, and we aim to maximize our impact on the people of our city through church partnerships. Our primary outreaches are Thanksgiving food box ministry and the Christmas in the City stores. During this year’s Thanksgiving outreach, 7,000 families in 50 locations will receive food boxes through outreach programs organized by local churches. During Thanksgiving and Christmas, we have the opportunity to share the gospel with those we serve. Christmas is a celebration of the birth of Christ, and the message is clear. We will serve thousands of families in over 30 locations with hundreds of donated resources through churches that spread the message of our Savior to those in need. We celebrate the responsibility of the church to share the good news through the good works of its people.
The holidays invite us to come together as a family to celebrate and remember how good our God is and what great things he has done. The family of God spends their holidays together at church and often in service to their community. At CSM, our holiday families are our church partners and regular volunteers who use their hands and feet to serve the Lord. We are celebrating another year of reaching out to communities through our church partners and mobilizing over 3,000 people to serve the body of Christ. We cherish our dedicated volunteers, who are an extension of our family, serving with love and dedication. We enjoy the holidays because they provide precious time to strengthen our family bonds, which we hope will last for eternity.
We appreciate your support and prayers as part of the CSM family. We could not and would not do it without you. We are here to connect the family of God to do His work for all people, and these holidays give us another opportunity to serve.
– Tracy
Previous letters from 2023: