News

Gifts that Provide Hope

December 4, 2024

‘Tis the Season… and for many of us, that means coming up with gift ideas for our loved ones and friends. Perhaps for those who don’t “need” more “stuff.” How can we make this more meaningful and less commercialized?  There are many ideas out there for giving gifts of experiences, concert tickets, and classes that aren’t more “stuff,” and those are wonderful, but how do we take it a step further to give gifts that bring hope to those who need it most?

Big family or gathering:
Ask each person to bring $10 (or whatever amount you decide) to put in a bucket along with the name of their favorite charitable organization. The organization that gets drawn out receives the donation that year.

Giving Trees:
Many churches and organizations offer giving opportunities to help others during Christmas.

Give of yourself:

    • As a family or group, serve a meal at a shelter, low-income nursing home, or community center that is in need at this time of year.
    • Organize a group at church to make cards or cookies (the options are endless) for shut-ins or nursing home residents.
    • Connect with your local care centers to see if you could share your talents… music, reading, crafts, etc. The time you spend with the residents will be a gift in itself!

Look to the ELCA:
The ELCA provides numerous ideas for gifts that give hope worldwide, such as those in ELCA Good Gifts. There are many options to give gifts in honor of someone, from baby chicks to fresh water to vaccinations. There are cards to give to let the recipient know what was given in their honor.

Gifts of Hope Alternative Giving Market:
A ministry of First Lutheran Church in Lincoln, Gifts of Hope offers an Advent educational outreach that provides practical ways to participate in the many ways God is already at work in the world by choosing meaningful holiday gifts. Held yearly, stop by 8:15 AM to 12:45 PM on Sunday, December 8. Or, shop their online catalog HERE December 7-8.

Many of the Gifts of Hope partners described in the online catalog have direct connections to the ELCA and/or Nebraska Synod:

  1. ELCA World Hunger/God’s Global Barnyard:  Catalog links take viewers to the ELCA website or allow direct donations. Supporting photos, video clips and text offer information.
  2. Nebraska Synod’s Partnership with the Northern Diocese, Tanzania:  Catalog photos and text describe how to support Nursing Scholarships and Houses for Health.
  3. Border Servant Corps: Here’s an officially recognized partner of the ELCA, serving 24/7 in Las Cruces, NM, and Laredo, TX. (The current director is Kari Lenander, daughter of former Southwood/Lincoln pastor Roger Lenander.
  4. Lutheran World Relief Quilters/ELCA Disaster Response: The catalog includes great video clips about the quilts’ use in the US. (Baltimore Harbor container ship accident, North Carolina veterans after hurricane/flooding) and world-wide.
  5. Mission Market Place, previously publicized, developed at Bethlehem Lutheran/Wahoo through a hunger grant (Gift items are offered for sale by congregation members to benefit human needs, locally and beyond.)

Additional Partners Include:

  1.  I’ve Got a Name (Street outreach that works to end sex trafficking in our area.  A recent focus topic for WELCA)
  2.  Las Abejitas Bilingual Early Education Center (This is the only partner that is not a nonprofit.  It’s located at First Lutheran Church in rented space, providing excellent childcare and community outreach.)
  3. Food Bank of Lincoln Food Backpack Program (Funds food backpacks in two partner schools)
  4. Matt Talbot Kitchen and Outreach Homeless Diversion and Transitional Housing.  (At work to end homelessness in the Lincoln area)
  5. ECHO Collective Lincoln-based non-profit that mentors and supports women who are immigrants as they establish successful businesses)
  6. OutNebraska (Working statewide to provide resources and advocacy for people who identify as LGBTQIA+  their families, friends)