CHRISTMAS EVE OFFERING 2025

LET'S MAKE A BIG IMPACT IN OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY!

Sharing the Gift of Story

This Christmas, our special offering will help open doors for kids and families right here in Sparta. One of our outreach goals this year is literacy in our community, and we have a great opportunity to live that out by partnering with the Sparta Lincoln Library.

The library’s children’s and youth collections need fresh, current books—stories written and published within the last ten years that connect with the world our kids are living in right now. Every dollar given to this Christmas Offering will go directly toward buying new books for the shelves. Your generosity will help kids discover stories that spark imagination, build confidence, and grow a love for reading that can shape their whole lives.

This need is real. National literacy research shows that 61% of low-income families have no books at all in their homes for their children. Children who are read to at least three times a week by a family member are almost twice as likely to score in the top 25% in reading compared to children who are read to less often. And a report from the Annie E. Casey Foundation found that about one in six children who are not reading proficiently by the end of third grade do not graduate from high school on time—a rate four times higher than for proficient readers. Access to good books and reading support early in life changes futures.

Through this offering, our church can become part of that change. When you give, you help put strong, engaging books into the hands of local children and teens—students in our schools, kids in our neighborhoods, and families who are doing their best to help their children learn and thrive. This is a simple, powerful way to “follow Jesus and share his love” beyond our church walls.

There will also be a hands-on way to serve. Alongside this special offering, we will recruit volunteers who are willing to read books to kids during library time. If you love stories, enjoy being with children, or simply want to offer a kind presence, this is a beautiful opportunity to bless our community face to face.

Please begin praying now about what you can give to the Christmas Offering and whether you might also serve as a reading volunteer. Together we can refresh the shelves at Sparta Lincoln Library, encourage young readers, and shine the love of Jesus in a very practical way. Let’s help fill our town with good stories and good news this Christmas.