“Rejoice in the Lord, always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 4:4-7, text for Third Sunday of Advent, 2024
Each year, our Christmas Offering gives us the collective opportunity to do something extra special by blessing ministries throughout our connection. As our cabinet continues to listen to local churches, we are excited to offer a new opportunity this Christmas.
We recognize that many congregations are struggling financially, and we do not want to create any new monetary burden on you, your families, or the local church. One of the things that we have heard often is how our churches love participating in missions and ministries that connect us.
This Christmas, we invite you and your local church to discern where our sisters and brothers could use extra love in your local community. We encourage you to offer something special this Christmas for those in your community who need to experience the love of God in new ways. Because we are stronger together, we want our annual conference to shower Eastern NC with more love than ever before as we share the hope of Emmanuel, God with us.
Because your story is our story, we hope you will consider sharing how you offer God’s love at Christmas. Use our form to let us know where you plan to give your offering. Also, share about your gift on social media using the hashtag #nccgives or #IGiveUMC.
“Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near” (v. 5).
Did your offering or gifts impact children in your community? Will a family benefit from your congregation’s care? Does your gift draw folks into a closer relationship with one another and the community? We are better together.
However you share the message of belonging this Christmas, please tell your local congregation’s story so that we all may share in the joy!