This year St. Luke will be supporting three organizations:

Wellspring Lutheran Services is a merger of Lutheran Child and Family Services, Lutheran Homes (for Seniors), and Lutheran Refugee Services with offices and residential facilities throughout Michigan.

Hope Clinic is a Christian agency in Ypsilanti that provides free medical and dental services, a food bank, and other services for low-income people in our community.

Circles Program is having a dramatic impact on moving families out of poverty. It matches a person in poverty with middle or upper-income partners for at least 18 months. These relationships help break the cycle of generational poverty by assisting families to create their own personal paths out of poverty and achieve economic independence.

Due to the success of last year’s program, Wellspring Lutheran Service and Hope Clinic are again asking for monetary gifts they will then use to buy gift cards to give to families for their own Christmas shopping. Hope Clinic is also asking for as many Christmas gift bags with hot chocolate and tea items as we are willing to provide (see details below). The Circles Program is asking for monetary gifts to purchase gift cards or memberships for family experiences such as the movies, or the Detroit Zoo for each of the families involved in this program (see details below).

Monetary Gifts

To make a monetary gift through St. Luke, bring or mail a check to church that is made out to St. Luke and indicate on the memo “Giving Tree”. Or online – use the fund called “Christmas Giving Tree” on the St. Luke website and the St. Luke app under “Give”. No amount is too small, and together, St. Luke will make this Christmas special for so many families! We will split the monetary gifts received between these organizations. Please have all monetary gifts to St. Luke by December 4.

The ornaments on the Christmas Giving Tree will be changed from red to silver to reflect the amount received each week.

Hope Clinic Gift Bags

Hope Clinic is asking for medium-sized (about 7x4x9 inches) Christmas gift bags with the following items:

• One Christmas microwavable mug
• One 8-count box of Swiss Miss Milk Chocolate Flavor Hot Cocoa Mix
• One box of 6 full size peppermint candy canes
• One box of 20 tea bags (peppermint/cinnamon/seasonal. No caffeine)
• One 10oz bag of mini marshmallows

Please bring as many of these gift bags as you are willing to provide to St. Luke by December 4.

Circles Family Experience Gifts

The Circles Program is asking for 8 gifts of family experiences such as a trip to the Detroit Zoo, or gift card to the movies. We will provide $100 for each family to use for entry fees and related expenses. Depending on their choice, some families will be able to make one trip, and others will be able to go several times.

Please sign up to provide one of these monetary gifts at this Sign-Up Genius link: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70a0949afa62babfc1-stluke

Details for each family and their selected experience are indicated on the Sign-Up Genius. Please sign up and make your monetary gift either by check made out to St. Luke with “Circles Family __” in the memo line or online to the Christmas Giving Tree fund and include “Circles __” in the note box by December 4.

Through the Giving Tree last year, we provided over $5000 to these organizations to make Christmas special for the families they work with. This year, the need is just as great – let’s surpass what we gave last year as we come together as the body of Christ to shine His light in this world! Any amount you can give will make that light shine even brighter this Christmas! MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!