Christmas in the City 2023
In addition to Thanksgiving, we prepare all year for Christmas. Partners let us know if they want to participate in our Christmas markets. They let us know how much of our resources they need. Most of the resources we give away for Christmas have been sorted into bags with a particular type of resource, toys, household, electronics, and clothing, sometimes even paired down further into pillows, socks, or other items. These resources come through our partnership with Good360 as well as other corporate partners like FITs socks. Church partners then take the goods and set up Christmas markets at their location to serve their church and community.
Hope Community Church in Gardendale served 125 families through the market they set up. Love Fellowship Christian Center also served many families through the shop they set up. Both set up their market in school gyms. We gave away over $3.6 Million of resources to 26 partners.
The resources at CSM are a tool to share the Gospel and love people. When you meet people’s physical needs, you also have an opening to meet an emotional or spiritual need. The ministry at Christian Service Mission looks to serve the whole person holistically – body, soul, and mind.
In addition to the Christmas markets throughout the City, we hosted a group from My Father’s House. They are a non-profit that works with foster kids about to age out of the system. They minister to the kids, love them, and teach them life skills they will need once they graduate and are on their own. My Father’s House partners with the Department of Human Resources (DHR) and Child Protective Services (CPS) to find children needing these life skills. The kids come from group homes and may even come from mental health organizations that help foster children. Most of the kids are in high school. My Father’s House brought about 50 kids and adults to serve with us over two days. They sorted donated canned goods. We also hosted a Christmas market for them, where they could select three gifts. We wish you could have seen how excited they all were!
