During this time of year, families across North America may be pulling their artificial Christmas trees out of storage or making a trek to a Christmas tree farm to cut down a fresh tree. Real or artificial, these trees are then lit up and decorated to mark the upcoming celebration of our Lord’s birth. In many churches across the continent, however, the trees are being decorated in an unusual and life-changing way.

As part of World Renew’s annual Christmas Gift Catalog campaign, many churches are choosing to set a Christmas tree up in their lobby or Fellowship Hall and are decorating it with ornaments of goats, chickens, sewing machines, and seeds. Church members can then take an ornament off the “giving tree” and make a donation to World Renew in order to help those in need around the world.

Carol Ackerman, a member of First Christian Reformed Church in Denver, Colorado says that having a Christmas tree display in their church has inspired people to take action. Their tree was set up in advance of their December 10 service.  “After the service there were about 10 items left,” she said.

Similarly, at Christ Community Church in Nanaimo, British Columbia, a “giving tree” was set up for the advent season. It has helped people remember their blessings and celebrate God’s great gift of love by sharing love with others.

“This is the first time we have set up a giving tree and a gift tag bulletin board,” said one church member, Lauris Fuller. “The response was very touching. Even though the congregants have had the Catalogs for a month, the tree and announcement brought out renewed interest and the gift tags were quickly disappearing.”

The World Renew “giving tree” ornaments and instructions are available free of charge and can be found at worldrenew.net/gifts.  While it may be too late for your church to set up a giving tree this Christmas season, you could consider doing a giving tree campaign from Christmas Day through Epiphany. You could also use the World Renew Gift Catalog as a resource for giving during family events this Holiday season.

“We are so touched and humbled by all of the people who use our gift catalogue to pray for and support families and communities around the world,” said World Renew Director, Ida Kaastra Mutoigo.  “We hope that everyone who shares their gift from the Catalog is as blessed this Christmas season as those who ultimately receive and use the gift to overcome poverty, injustice or disaster.”