At the beginning of January I saw a powerful model of partnership and unity in the church in action. I went to an appreciation event for Angel Tree church volunteers in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Hoffmantown Church, a suburban congregation, had taken on more than 150 children in 2012, but what really stood out to me about them was they weren’t content with just delivering gifts to inmates’ children in their own backyard. Instead, under the leadership of long-time Angel Tree church coordinators Paula and Fred Gibson, they reached out to partner with a Spanish-speaking church in the under-resourced neighborhoods south of Albuquerque, so that children in that area could also receive the blessing and support of Angel Tree. It was an important example of how Christians from different walks of life come together with one heart to touch the lives of the children of the incarcerated.
This partnership between suburban and urban churches, between churches of different languages and different giftings, is a beautiful picture of the way God’s people can work together to build His Kingdom. It’s something to celebrate – and to repeat in other parts of the country.
Partnerships like these will be vital to Angel Tree as we move into the future, because they help us make sure that we always have the right resources in the right place to meet the urgent needs of children with an incarcerated parent. Not one of these precious children deserves to be left behind.
As you think about the people and ministries you want to make part of your life in 2013, I hope you’ll make room for Angel Tree. The boys and girls with a parent in prison are beyond price in the sight of their Heavenly Father, and as you give, pray, volunteer, and get your church involved, you’ll help make 2013 a year for them to celebrate.