Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord,
and He will repay him for his deed.
For those that love Jesus and want to see His kingdom on Earth, caring for those in need is not just a nice idea; it needs to be woven into the fabric of who we are. Verse after verse in the bible commands us to be generous, to share what little or much we have, and to make our love for others into a tangible action.
Because we believe that our God is Jehovah Jirah, the God who provides, we give freely and generously knowing that He will provide all that we need. Practicing generosity is a way to proclaim that our hope is in God, not our money or possessions.
A Season Of Giving provides an opportunity for every person at Morning Star to participate in the joy of giving. Whether you can fill a whole box or just have some spare change to contribute, all of it is an act of love.
We are partnering with Salem For Refugees, a local non-profit that brings people and resources together to make Salem a welcoming place for refugees, for this Season Of Giving. One Salem For Refugees supports those they minister to is by providing Refugee Restart Kits; bins of new household essentials provided to furnish homes for our newly arriving refugee families. There are many types of Restart Kits. Some are for individual family members (such as Bedding and Personal Care Kits) and some are per family (Kitchen and Bathroom Kits).
Our heart is to see all refugees in Salem as valued, thriving, and contributing members of our community. We believe the relationships between refugees who resettle in Salem and the community who welcome them are transformative for all parties. Morning Star, let’s jump in and be part of what God is already doing!
What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith
but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not
have works, is dead.
HOW DOES IT WORK?
STEP 1:
Grab an empty plastic tub and a shopping list from the lobby on a Sunday morning.
STEP 2:
Go shopping! Please purchase NEW items so these kits will bring honor to and reflect the dignity of refugees as they settle in Salem.
Costs of each item and kit are estimated based on the average cost, but it’s not required to spend that exact amount. If you are bargain hunting, please keep quality and durability in mind!
STEP 3:
Fill your tub and return to Morning Star before December 14! It items don’t fit into the tub, please tape them to the top. Feel free to include a handwritten, unsealed note welcoming the family to Salem!
If you’d like to contribute financially to this effort, there is a specified drop-down to select when you give online at www.mstar.church/give.
