November 2016
#GivingTuesday is a global day of giving, set aside to harness the power of social media for good. It is celebrated the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, which in 2016 is November 29. This is the third year New Starts…New Believers followers are partnering to aid one congregation’s efforts to make a difference in their community.
It’s a project you will be excited to share with your friends on social media to invite their donations as well – people outside Lutheranism and even outside the church.
This year’s #GivingTuesday project is Crosspoint Lutheran Church in Lakewood, Illinois, a five-year-old new start connected with Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Palatine.
Crosspoint has been busy building a partnership with West Elementary School in Crystal Lake. Four years of consistent school supply drives and Christmas gifting have strengthened the trust between Crosspointers and the staff and students of West Elementary.
When West’s social worker Beata Moreschi found out that her school could participate in the mentoring program, Kids Hope USA, her first call was to Pastor John Scott to see if Crosspoint would partner with West Elementary in mentoring some of her at-risk students.
Jumping at the opportunity, Pastor John and the entire Crosspoint community are excited to begin this deeper relationship. They are currently training Kids Hope mentors and a Kids Hope leader to begin mentoring students in early winter.
“Being able to share peace through these 1-on-1 mentoring relationships is an incredible way to show Christ’s love, even in a public school setting,” said Pastor John.
Your gifts will allow these mentors to radically increase their support of West’s at-risk students and their families with a monthly outpouring of love and generosity.
In January, your gifts will help Crosspointers deliver back-to-school supplies (a huge need half way through the year). In May, they will send 50 kids home with Summer Activity Backpacks filled with crafts and fun for kids to do with family over the summer. The goal is to have one such special need met every month.
“In addition, on the first Tuesday of the month we would like to bless the teachers and staff at West by setting out a special treat for them in their lounge,” Pastor John said. “As Crosspoint consistently and radically blesses the students, their families, and the staff at West Elementary, our hope is that some will come to see the love and kindness comes directly from Jesus.”
You are invited to join in supporting Crosspoint for this far-reaching opportunity.
A $1,000 grant has already been committed by the district’s Lutheran Church Extension Fund for Crosspoint’s project. Then, the district itself will match the first $1,500 of additional #GivingTuesday donations, dollar for dollar.
So, keep watching for posts in the district’s New Starts New Believers social media site, Facebook, as #GivingTuesday draws near. Share those with all your friends, tell them you’ll be donating and invite them to join you.
Or if you are ready to make your gift right now, go to nidlcms.org, click on “Donate Now” and be sure to put your gift amount on the line for #GivingTuesday 2016.
If writing a check is still your style, make checks payable to NID LCMS, memo it GivingTuesday and mail it to: NID LCMS, 2301 S. Wolf Road, Hillside, IL 60162.