Our Christmas Eve Offering in 2021
Each year at the Christmas Eve service (5pm on 12/14), Foundry gives the entire offering towards a specific mission project. As we began planning for this year, we knew that a passion and discernment for a few things regarding our own mission and ministry at the church was the right place to direct this offering for the first time. In years past we have supported Scouting ministry, and the Sterlington Area Food Bank with this offering.
Continued Ministry expansion for the Sterlington Area Food Pantry.
At this time we are in need of space and are beginning to pray and investigate how we might expand the physical side of this ministry, as we continue to minister to those who are in need of both regular and emergency food assistance.
Caring for those inside our congregation in times of need.
So what do we do with each other when we are in need? Whether it is when a new baby is born, someone is sick, or any other physical concern or time of transition, how do we as a church reach out quickly to meet needs to allow others a greater level of margin or the ability to be attentive in other ways? We want to establish an internal benevolence program to quickly be able to reach out in life-giving ways. It might be as simple as a meal or two, but we know it is in this simplicity that we find the presence of Jesus at times.
External ministry of care.
As a physical church with a presence in our community, one of the ways we are being nudged into the presence of Jesus is our ability to care for those in need who are outside of our faith community. But beyond times of emergency, how are we able to fund times of celebration, encouragement, and simply to be a greater blessing? We want to be able to answer these questions with a swift yes.
To establish a permanent disaster ministry.
It seems that at least once a year we feel called to respond during times of natural disaster. This year in just over a day we were able to secure funds for hundreds of gallons of generator gas, multiple pallets of water, and to get these materials to Houma after Hurricane Ida. We want to be better prepared and able to respond to these events. While part of this is preparing to respond physically, with people and tools, we want to have a financial reserve available to work even quicker.
Historically, we are in a time of transition as we grow towards maintaining our physical facility and discerning what ministry looks like in a Post- COVID world, but what we don’t want to do is neglect the ministry of care that Jesus calls all of us to. We know the biggest part of Jesus being in our neighborhood is a call to the physical, tangible, and real actions of our heart and hands in our community.
You can financially support the ministry of Foundry at any time through our secure giving portal. All gifts on December 24th will go to supporting the ministries mentioned above.