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2022 HAS BROKEN ALL RECORDS GIVEN THE DEMAND FOR HELP ACROSS ALL 5 TOL BRANCHES.
As we approach the year-end, we again need your amazing help to reach our financial goals. December 2021 was our highest ever giving month at over $400k and in order to meet our 2022 budget, we are trying to match that number. If you are able to donate, thank you, thank you!
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Christmas is almost here!
Preparations are under way for our three Christmas for Others ministry events coming up soon! We have received
financial donations as well as gift cards from the community – we are about half way there! We still need your support.
This year, with the love of Jesus Christ, we will:
- Serve over 670 individuals with a Christmas dinner, gifts, Bibles, and entertainment including pageants in Purcellville and Leesburg and a live nativity in Sterling. That is a 168% increase in attendance over last year’s events.
- Provide a Christmas party and gifts to the ladies in our Transitional Housing ministry.
- Expand our outreach to senior adults in the community by nearly triple! Last year we delivered gifts to 60 seniors, and this year we are hoping to bless over 150. Those interested may shop for gifts directly from our AmazonSmile charity list.
If it is on your heart to support Christmas for Others, please consider making a donation. We still need financial support to be able to provide a free dinner at each of our events this Christmas season. Please help us finish strong!
Interested in volunteering your time? There are still several ways to get involved:
• Event in Purcellville
• Event in Leesburg
• Event in Sterling
Thank you and God bless!
A Blessed Thanksgiving Together
We were so grateful to serve the community on Thanksgiving Day with our tradition of Thanksgiving Together. Because of an army of volunteers and the generosity of our community, we were able to serve 160 complete meals enjoyed to-go or in person with us. As always, there was enough to supply meals for our local first responders and police department.
One partner called to share her appreciation:
“I am very grateful and thankful that you gave me a meal on Thanksgiving. I’m calling to thank you very much from the bottom of my heart. Thank you for everything that you have done for me. I had a good meal and enjoyed it…God be with you all as we go into the Christmas and New Year holiday!” |
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Still Waters Christmas Party & Dance
We officially kicked off the Christmas season last Friday with our Still Waters Ministry Christmas party and dance. Festivities included a delicious dinner, a DJ and Santa himself. Over 50 Partners, their family and caregivers enjoyed a night of fellowship, food and dancing! We are grateful to Purcellville Baptist Church for the use of their spacious and festively decorated lobby and the generous gift of music by Digital Difference DJs. Thank you to the volunteers and families that worked together to make this a wonderful event for all!
One parent shared following the party:
“At Still Waters [special needs children] are seen, appreciated, loved, valued and nurtured, and they can be themselves with each other and blossom in an environment where they are with people that they can see themselves in…Still Waters provides a place where we can safely let our kids get a few moments without us watching over them like hawks and also provides us with a place to nurture our adult/parent relationships with each other which is really so very valuable when going through this life as the parent of a special needs child, especially as they reach their adult years.” |
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GO FUND THEM: UPDATE!
We have reached 78% of our goal of $100,000. As of 12/5/22, we have raised $78,859.00!
STAFF SPOTLIGHT: ANN
Ann has recently joined our team of wonderful individuals. Ann loves to greet customers with a smile and practice her order taking skills! Ann also enjoys practicing her barista skills by making drinks. From day one, Ann has been eager to learn new skills and grows each day she is with us. We are truly blessed to have Ann on our team!
Ann was blessed with a great memory-she loves to learn the names of new faces that come into the coffee shop! Stop by and visit Ann to join her list of familiar names.
Keep Ann and other staff members employed by supporting our Go Fund Them campaign and help us reach our goal before year’s end! |
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Save the Dates!
Christmas for Others: Purcellville 12/11, Sterling 12/13, Leesburg 12/15
SimplyBe Coffee: Coffee with a Cop 12/6, Christmas Craft Day 12/12, SimplyBe Connected 12/14, Visit with Santa 12/17
Christmas & New Year’s Holiday Center Closures – 12/23, 12/26, 12/30, and 1/2
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IT’S CHRISTMAS! WHAT’S IT ALL ABOUT?
Luke 2:8-14
And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
God has a special GIFT for us to receive: the miracle of His Son, Jesus Christ, coming to earth.
The good news that was shared by the angel to the shepherds is good news for me also: the Messiah has been born! The angel described the place where the baby was born and told the shepherds that they would find Him there. This was a direct invitation for them to go find Him. Jesus later said, “the one who seeks finds” (Luke 11:9).
If the presence of one angel wasn’t enough, God lit up the skies to announce the birth of His Son Jesus. A multitude of angels appeared, glorifying God and proclaiming peace to men.
Lord, thank You for sending Your Son Jesus to earth. I want to glorify You with the angels for Jesus! Amen.
This Christmas, please join me in prayer that many will find Jesus! We have four weeks of Christmas devotionals for you beginning on December 6. Please sign up here: Spiritual Growth – Tree of Life (tolministries.org)
May you be blessed,
Merry Christmas!
Chaplain Wayne
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