Simple Gifts

Simple Gifts for Christmas

Simple Gifts for Christmas

Give a gift of hope to our neighbours in Stratford or around the world on behalf of someone on your gift list, and a beautiful Christmas card with a message to tell them what you have given on their behalf.

Sharing Food and Fellowship with Our Neighbours $20

St. James Food Ministries include a weekly Community Food Bank, monthly Community Meals and an annual Community Christmas Day Dinner. They share the abundance of our land with our neighbours – many of them families with children – who cannot buy enough safe and nutritious food for an active and healthy life, or who just need the friendly company of others around a delicious hot meal.

Health and Wellness for an Indigenous Community Nearby $20

The Mental Heath & Wellness Hub is housed in the former Anglican Church in the Kettle & Stony Point First Nation. It supports the wellbeing of individuals and families through counselling services, art and play therapies for children and youth, addictions counselling, referral to treatment centres, medical care and ongoing support programs.

Transforming Lives in Nicaragua $30

Stratford-based COMMIT provides medical services, clean water and sanitation, eco-friendly wood stoves, reforestation, sustainable agriculture, sewing programs, education and school programs and social support in an impoverished region of Nicaragua. Twice a year, volunteer teams go to the same area to work alongside local people on new and ongoing programs, empower individuals, transform lives and build enduring relationships based on trust and mutual respect.

Clean Water to Save Lives $30

A Rotary Aquabox is a simple, low-cost filtration system that can provide purified drinking water to a family of five for up to a year in a situation of natural disaster or refugee displacement. They are made from locally sourced components, assembled in Stratford by volunteers, and sent world-wide by Global Medic. A basic hygiene kit is packed in each unit. Since 2006 Aquaboxes have provided 62 million litres of safe, clean drinking water.

The full amount of your purchase goes to the organization or program chosen and is included in your tax-deductible givings to St. James.

Purchasing Simple Gifts

Once again St. James Outreach Committee is offering parishioners a way to please friends and relatives with a beautiful Christmas card and at the same time make an important contribution to a charity. We are doing it by phone or email and in the narthex Sunday mornings.

1. Information about the charities we are supporting, and pictures of the cards are posted on the St. James’ website: https://www.stjamesstratford.ca/simple-gifts. Each card design is numbered to make phone and online ordering easier.

There also is a display board at the back of the church.

1. Select a charity and a Christmas card. An insert about the charity will be provided to put in the Christmas card.
2. You may purchase Simple Gifts in the narthex on Sunday morning, OR contact Lori Colbeck (519-271-1142 or lady_jane@wightman.ca) to place your order stating:
   • your selected charity(ies) and your selected card(s) by number
   • your name, address and phone number.
3. If you order by phone or email, Lori or another Outreach Committee member can deliver your cards to your home.
4. Payment options – no later than Monday, December 23, please:

• • cash
  • cheque payable to St. James Anglican Church with “Simple Gifts” in the memo line.
  • etransfer to treasurer@stjamesstratford.ca, with Simple Gifts in the note field
  • or below on the parish website. Click Donate Now below. Make sure you select Simple Gifts as the fund and put Simple Gifts in the Memo Line.