The Gospel is on its Way!
North Heights Operation Christmas Child ministry coordinators, Joyce Halverson and Laurie Palermo.
The Gospel is on its Way
In 2019 North Heights became an Operation Christmas Child Regional Drop Off Center. This year we have been busier than ever thanks to the generosity of North Heights and surrounding communities.
Operation Christmas Child transports hand-packed gift-filled shoeboxes to children in need around the world with the Gospel in their native language. North Heights has been participating in this global Gospel sharing ministry for decades.
Last week, 20 cheerful, willing and able volunteers–ages 6 on up, processed 3,874 gift-filled shoeboxes into 265 shipping cartons and transported the cartons to the Operation Christmas Child delivery center. Thank you for your 284 volunteer hours!
“COVID didn’t even slow down the generosity of North Heights members this year,” says Laurie Palermo, one of North Heights OCC ministry coordinators. “Six-hundred-and-fifty-two shoeboxes were contributed by North Heights members this year which was more than last year without the virus!”
Laurie went on to say that the success was so great that they ran out of shipping cartons after the third day and still had over 2,600 shoeboxes yet to deliver to the Operation Christmas Child delivery center!
“As a congregation and as a Regional OCC Drop Off Center, North Heights packed 3,874 shoeboxes into the shipping cartons lining the hall by Door A,” says North Heights OCC ministry coordinator, Joyce Halverson. “That’s 3,874 children who will be blessed with the love of Jesus!”
Volunteers, including Pastor Jordan transported the shipping crates into trailers to deliver to the Operation Christmas Child delivery center.
One of several trips to the Operation Christmas Child delivery center.
By Friday, 3,874 gift-filled shoeboxes were on their way to children in need around the world who will hear the Gospel this Christmas in their native tongue!
Do these gift-filled shoe boxes make a difference?
Watch this episode of Coffee with the Pastors. Pastor TJ talks with Ives, a young man whose family escaped genocide in Rwanda. Hear his story about how he met Jesus in an Operation Christmas Child shoebox gift with a sticky note which transformed his life for eternity. Watch Video»
North Heights Lutheran Church | 1700 West Highway 96, Arden Hills, MN 55112 | (651) 797-7800