Gift Mart

Several years ago, Stacey and I attended the Exponential Conference in Orlando and ended up sharing a rental house with several people including a team from Community Christian Church in Chicago. It would change the direction of our lives and Bridges Church.

It was there that we met, Kirsten Strand, a member of that team who told us about her work in Chicago with an under resourced community and specifically with something she called a “Christmas Gift Mart”. Rather than giving away Christmas presents to families, they created an opportunity for parents to buy their children Christmas gifts at very reduced prices so that the gifts were from them and not the church.  

We had discovered the year before when we brought Christmas trees and gifts to a list of families in our community that the dads always disappeared into the back of their home, embarrassed by the fact that it seemed to be that we were “saying” that he was not doing this for his own family. We knew we had to change.

So, the next year we created our own “Christmas Gift Mart” at Old Town Elementary School. The school chose the families from those most in need, including those who were receiving food through the backpack program administered by our nonprofit, Bridging the Gap. It was a huge success and a great community event with the staff of the school joining our volunteers in wrapping presents and helping the families choose and carry the gifts. It was a real sense of community. All the proceeds from the day went right back into the backpack program which is still the practice today.

This year, the Gift Mart will continue. The school still chooses the students and hosts the event. Bridges along with other churches in the community joins in by encouraging our families to donate presents or money to help buy more and also by volunteering to help set up or be there the day of the event.

It is such a joyful experience as the families enter the gym where there is Christmas music playing and all the toys are laid out on tables for them to purchase while their own children are able to go to a different room to create Christmas crafts and simple gifts for their parents. In this way we are able to experience the love and joy of Christ as we celebrate His birth with our neighbors.

As always, volunteers and donations are needed, but know this is an event that produces more joy in what we give than receive.

We would love to have everyone participate in some way this Christmas as we celebrate the birth of our Savior.

Christmas Gift Mart – Saturday, December 7, 2024 – Old Town Elementary School.

For more information see the announcement in this newsletter or contact us at info@bridgeschurch.net