The “Parish Giving Tree Program” has been replaced with the OLV Community Christmas Gift Program. Requests for gifts are available to parishioners on the weekends of November 8-9 and 15-16, with the return of gifts on November 15-16 and 22-23.
The groups we will help this year will be the same as in the past few years: Out of the Cold Homeless Shelter, Housing Transitions – Centre House, Strawberry Fields, the ARC of Centre County, Families, Embassy at Hearthside, and new to us this year, Stormbreak. All groups have requested only gift cards, except for Housing Transitions – Centre House, which also requested single use bus cards. Gift cards allow our neighbors to make choices that fit their needs over the Christmas season.
Please look for tables in the Gathering Space November 8, 9, 15 and 16, that contain gift requests. Fellow parishioners will help you make a gift selection as well as answer any questions that you may have about our new and earlier gift request system.
Once you purchase the gift requested on the envelope, please follow the directions on the envelope and return it to the labeled collection bin in the Gathering Space on November 15, 16, 22 or 23. If you need to return your sealed envelope during the week, please put it in the slot next to the church office. Your generosity in past years has been overwhelming and heartfelt.
We hope and pray that you will once again respond to the needs of so many in our community. May God Bless you for your kindness.
Please direct any questions to the church office.