2,500 gifts were handed out at an Angel Tree® Christmas party in Tennessee this past Saturday.
The New Vision Baptist Church in Murfreesboro hosted a special Christmas party for prisoners and their families. Incarcerated parents were transported to the church to spend the evening with their children.
Photo Credit: Ben White
“The reason why we do this is because I want to give hope. That’s the message of Christmas, hope for these kids,” Pastor John Sturgeon explained to the local ABC news station.
That message of hope can also be found in the western states.
At St. James the Apostle Episcopal Church in Tempe, Arizona, parishioners gathered earlier this month to celebrate Christmas with Angel Tree families from their community. It’s an opportunity for new friendships to grow.
“Our kids say to them, ‘You’re my friend—I saw you last year!'” shared St. James youth minister and Angel Tree organizer Eileen Flock with Wrangler News. “Some of these families we get over and over and again.”
“I think [the church youth] enjoy it because they actually get to see it firsthand and see the project from start to finish. They get to see some of the kids and interact with them,” Flock said.
Prison Fellowship® would like to thank all of those who supported Angel Tree this year, either by sponsoring a child or donating to the program. We are so happy to see these children and their families served.
If you would like to contribute to Angel Tree, please visit our Angel Tree donation page.
Online church registration for Angel Tree 2017 will begin on January 3, 2017.