Our Christmas Focus this year will include:
· Heifer International-give a donation that will go towards the purchase of livestock for a family in need in many places around the world.
· Wesley Community Centers - give a gift of $25 for a child through Wesley Community Centers. Wesley will purchase a gift card for the parent to purchase a gift for the child.
· New Beginnings UMC- Hispanic UMC in west Savannah will hold a Christmas party for their community. We are asked to buy and wrap a gift ($10 or less) and bring it to IOHUMC by Monday Dec 14th.
· The Christ Child's Nest- Sponsor a child in Guatemala.
Union Mission- Purchase gifts for children in need through Union Mission.
 
Please visit the Missions table in the office hallway on Sundays, December 6th and 13th to participate in any of these ministries. Please note that we will not be participating in the Angel Tree Program this year. Due to the economy, the Angel Tree Regional office was closed. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.
World AIDS Day
December 1st was World AIDS Day. Our communion offering on Sunday December 6th will support the United Methodist Global AIDS Fund. The primary purpose of the United Methodist Global AIDS Fund is to raise $8 million-representing a $1 commitment of every United Methodist in the U.S. The GAF supports education, prevention, care, and treatment programs for people living with HIV/AIDS around the globe. The United Methodist Global AIDS Fund does not overlook the crisis in the U.S. The GAF Plan specifies that 25 percent of what each annual conference raises should be used in that conference for AIDS work, either locally or in global projects.
The Christ Child's Nest
During this season of Thanksgiving, a special word of thanks to everyone who has supported The Christ Child's Nest throughout the years and in their most recent time of need. Due to new laws in Guatemala, the Nest received 10 new children at one time making the total number of children living there to be around 70. Many individuals and groups have generously responded allowing us to send the funding needed to care for the children for the month of December. Thank you to the UMW Circles, the Prayer Shawl Ministry, Beth Palmer's sale of Guatemalan items, the youth (check out Mackay's shaved head and Jocelyn's colorful hair in response to the youth's gift of $431.53), the staff and the many, many people who have shared their gifts to bless the children in Guatemala. Watch for a "Dress Down Sunday" in January sponsored by God Squad to also support the Nest.                   

 
                                                                                      Julie