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Dear Editor:
I grew up in a rural area where everyone went to the local church and every Christmas the congregation would pick a local family and make their Christmas brighter.
When I started going to the First United Methodist Church in Columbus, I found that back in the 1980s, they had started a ministry called Share Your Christmas. It was started because one family had a tragedy around Christmas who was a neighbor of a member of the congregation and needed a little help at Christmas.
So, the congregation stepped up and offered a helping hand this family needed. However, this made the congregation aware that there were other families that needed that helping hand. At first, all they did was provide a turkey and hams. However, as the need grew, so did the items provided. More food was added, plus laundry, soap and other items.
In 1986, the Saint Paul Lutheran Church formed the Columbus Food Pantry. The congregation decided to continue this ministry but had to change the way to provide these families with a helping hand. Volunteers handle the ministry completely, so every penny donated goes to helping these families.
Last year, the number of families that were helped grew to 89 from the number in the 1980s. We provide laundry soap, dish soap, bath soap, toothbrushes and toothpaste, shampoo, two packages of toilet paper and two packages of paper towels to every member of the family. This year, we added sheets to the list.
Each child gets a few gifts that are age and gender appropriate. The First United Methodist Church spearheaded this ministry, but over the years, the First Baptist Church of Columbus and the St. Paul Lutheran Church of Columbus joined us in helping make this ministry successful.
But even with these churches working together, it still would not be possible without the many donations from different businesses and individuals who help with this ministry. The donations and help we receive are very much appreciated. These donations come from people who count their blessings and want to pass them on to those less fortunate.
If you wish to join in helping your neighbors who are less fortunate or going through a tragedy, we accept any donation you are comfortable giving all year long, as that money goes into a special account for Share Your Christmas Ministry only.
Send any amount from one dollar to one million. We will see that it is used by these families. The donation is tax deductible and should be set to the First United Methodist Church, 1229 Milam Street, Columbus, 78934, with share your Christmas written on the memo line.
Shirley Kearbey
