Giving Tree 2024

Through our annual giving-tree campaign, artificial trees in the narthex and lobby miraculously bear fruit. This year, it directs our attention as well as that of West Seattle/Fauntleroy YMCA members to four timely community needs:

1. extra food at home for low-income school families over winter break

2. kitchenware for asylum-seeking families transitioning from shelters to housing

3. gifts bags for children whose families rely on the Welcome Table for meals and essentials

4. relief from the burden of medical debt for low-income families in King County.

Take a tag that speaks to you from one of the trees, then use it as a reminder to donate by Dec. 15 online, in the plate, or in the church office. Also take a “Gift from the Heart” card if you’d like to honor a loved one with your donation.

Next Sunday's Neighbors in Need Offering

In addition to our regular offering, next Sunday, we will be collecting the Neighbors in Need (NIN) special missions offering of the United Church of Christ. Through these annual gifts we express our deep commitment to reaching out to our neighbors with justice and compassion. The offering funds program areas of environmental, racial, LGBTQ, economic, immigrant, and women’s justice, One-third of NIN funds support the Council for American Indian Ministry (CAIM). Two-thirds is used by the UCC’s Justice and Witness Ministries to support a variety of justice initiatives, advocacy efforts, and direct service projects through grants. NIN grants are awarded to UCC churches and organizations doing justice work in their communities (Fauntleroy Church was a recent recipient!). Please consider making a gift online or you’ll find special offering envelopes in the pews next Sunday.

Remembering and Honoring our Loved Ones

Do you have someone special you would like to have honored or remembered in our Christmas Eve bulletin and Christmas Eve prelude video this year? Take these two steps:

1) Go to the church website and click on "Give Today," then enter a gift of any amount toward Christmas flowers and decor (alternatively, you could drop a check by the church).

2) Email Hope, our Communications and Operations Manager, at hope@fauntleroyucc.org and tell her who you are and who you would like to remember or honor with your gift (eg: "I'm Charlotte Wester, and I'd like to give a gift in memory of my grandparents, May and August Wester.")

Any financial gifts you give will go toward expenses of flowers and other Christmas decor in the sanctuary (so that we can associate the beauty of the sanctuary with remembered beauty in those we've loved). Once sanctuary decor expenses are met, remaining funds go to the general church operating budget.

Please make your gift and email Hope by Sunday, December 19 to make sure we are able to get it into the bulletin and video before those are finalized. Thank you!