Introduction

These service projects are designed to help those individuals who fall between the cracks of our regular Christmas service. They could be people who are confined to their home, those who are grieving the loss of a spouse, or who have difficulty getting out, especially in bad weather.

Service Project ideas

1. Bake, decorate and package cookies to be taken to individuals confined to their homes. Arrange for a group of the women to deliver and spend time with them sharing Christmas memories and singing carols.
2. Ask the women to bring homemade cookies to the meeting. Arrange a variety of these cookies on plates for delivery to shut–ins.
3. Offer to do an errand for a shut–in.
4. Pick up a hamburger or a hot meal from a local restaurant and enjoy a time of fellowship over the meal.
5. Invite the women to make casseroles during the meeting to be delivered to homebound people. They could be asked to contribute the various ingredients needed.
6. Ask the women to bring small wrapped gifts that could be distributed to the shut–ins to brighten their Christmas. Gifts could be lotion, body wash, a solar dancing flower, a poinsettia or a small plant.
7.  Make a tied blanket using Christmas fabric and deliver to the members. For easy instructions check the website: www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Make-a-Tied-Fleece-Blanket.
8. Bring a miniature decorated artificial Christmas tree to a shut–in. These could be decorated during the meeting or take the decorations to the individual’s home and have them help in the decorating.
9. Take a supply of Christmas cards and stamps to the shut–in and help them address the cards to friends and family members.

Refreshments

Share Christmas cookies or other homemade treats along with hot tea, apple cider or hot chocolate.

Games and Activities

Play the game “Name this Christmas Carol” in so many notes.

Print out the verses to Christmas songs, cut them apart and put them in envelopes. Working as a group the women are to put the songs back in order. To make it more of a challenge put two or three songs in an envelope.

Related Scripture

Hebrews 13:16 (NLT) “And don’t forget to do good and to share with those in need. These are the sacrifices that please God.” Invite the women to share a time when they were able to reach out to someone even as they carried a busy schedule or a great burden of their own. Who benefitted from this experience more, the giver or the receiver?

Bible Verses

Intersperse the following verses during the program. Or have a Bible drill in which the women are invited to look up the Scripture verses and share them with the group — Matthew 25:36, James 5: 13-15, Psalms 30:2, Galatians 5:14, I John 3:17, Proverbs 14:31, Job 2: 11-13, John 13:34-35, Matthew 25:40

Treasures

When our children were young, we talked to them about giving away treasured things. We told them that when we did it cheerfully, it pleased the Lord.  We reminded them of God’s gifts to us at Christmas and throughout the year.

A family in our neighborhood had a house fire near Christmas. Upon learning of the family’s loss, our children began thinking of what they could give to make the children in the family feel special. Without hesitation our daughter decided she would give up her giant Barbie dollhouse. Maybe not a big deal, but years later she recalled the incident and wondered what this young girl might have felt over the years as the family recovered from the fire and the girl had possibly the opportunity to share the dollhouse with others. It made me think of the times when we do something for others because they have a need. We may pray for them for a long time but often lose track of them. Do we wonder where they are, what impact if any, our kindness may still mean?  Maybe we shouldn’t know because we would have cause to want to take the credit, but God reminds us to continue praying for them.

Often people think of Christmas as the gift of the Child but forget the ultimate goal of Christ was to fulfill the will of the Father. Redemption of God’s people became the will of the Son in obedience to the Father. Now as we “pay it forward” to others who need us, we become obedient to the will of the Father.

I am so grateful for the small and large deeds of kindness shown to me as a young girl and how God used those forgotten moments to make me who I am today. I understand the joy we feel when we do something in the name and for the glory of the Lord—not for our credit but to bring Glory to the Father. May you find opportunity to reach out and do something because God led you to be in the “right place at the right time.” You may be the only one who has access to this situation or who can best perform it for His glory. Invite the women to share their experience in the next gathering of the women.