Coats for Christmas delivery

Coats for Christmas will deliver coat on Christmas day along with sack lunches to the homeless in Atlanta. We will also be taking presents to specific houses where there is a need to fill the gap. Please join us for this amazing opportunity.

Meet at The Vine at 11 a.m. to drive together or follow down to The Garden where we will give out gifts to the children who live there at the homeless shelter. There we will connect with Larry, from 7 Bridges to Recovery, who will lead us on a route through the streets to give out coats and stop at predetermined houses to give out presents. If you drive your car down then you will have the freedom to break away off the route to head home when you need to.

There is no need to sign up, just show up at 11 a.m. at The Vine (1897 Highway 211 Suite 106
Hoschton, GA 30548). If it is more connivence for you to meet at The Garden (2840 Plant Atkinson Rd SE in Smyrna, GA) because of your location, then please meet us there at 12 p.m.

What are you planning to do on Jesus’ birthday?

Serve through giving from your plenty

One way to serve leading up to Christmas is to serve through giving from your plenty to those who are in need. Plenty could be defined as having more than you need or an ample amount. There are more and more people today who are in need because of job loss and a slowed down economy. This year leading up to Christmas, you can give to those who are in need.

There are many ways to give to those in need. You can bring a coat to one of the drop off location for Coats for Christmas. We will be receiving coats all the way through Christmas Eve. You can give a gift card to a friend or family member you know who has been effected by this economy. Gift cards will allow someone to buy something at one place and then use the money they would have spent for another need. If you think your friend or family member will not accept the gift then just give it secretly. You can still contribute The Vine Christmas offering, which is being used to serve those in need here and there. When we say we are serving people here, we mean we are helping those who we are aware of their need at The Vine. When we say we are serving people there, we mean we are helping with our partnering project in Maputo, Africa.

It doesn’t matter if you are serving through an organized effort or through serving a friend or family member. Consider how God will use you to serve through giving from your plenty to those who are in need.

Are you ready to give?

Serving those who serve others

One way you can Love God through Loving Others as Christmas is approaching is to serve those who serve others.  This is different than the post were I suggested serving those who serve you.  Serving those who serve others is serving someone who may not particularly serve you, but is a servant.

You could stop by a local fire department and drop off homemade cookies to the people on shift.  Maybe you aren’t a cook, but you could stop by Starbucks and get 5 – $5 gift cards to give.  You can play out this same scenario with the police or any other organization which serves others.  Other servers to serve would be the leader of a ministry such as a local food bank or a homeless shelter.  Many times we think about giving to the food bank and to the homeless shelter as an organization, but do not consider the leadership.  How effective will the food bank or homeless shelter be if it doesn’t have servers to serve the ministry.

Many times these service jobs are super rewarding personally, but they do not always have a lot of recognition.

Can you think of someone to serve who serves others?

Serving those who you’ll never know

One way you can truly take on the Spirit of Christmas in the last few days leading up to Christmas is to serve those who you’ll never know.  You may wonder, “how do I serve someone I do not know”?

You can stop by a local Starbucks and put $20 or whatever value on a gift card then give it to the barista with the instructions to pay for everyone’s drink who follows until the card runs out.  How about next time you are in the drive through at a restaurant, paying for the car behind you when you get to the window.  You could do the same thing at an eat in restaurant by asking the server to let you pay the bill for someone in the restaurant and maybe even sending a note over which says, “Merry Christmas.”

Serving others with the Love of Christ doesn’t have to be hard or even expensive, but it is something we must do.

Are you ready to serve those who you’ll never know?

Serving those who Serve you

One way to serve others as the days approach Christmas is to serve those who serve you regularly.  Find someone who serves you on a regular basis but you do not get an opportunity to express your appreciation to them for their service.  Maybe you have never even thought about being thankful for them serving you.  After all it is there job, right?

What if this year, you gave your mail carrier a gift or a card, maybe a gift card.  How about the people who pick up your trash and recycling.  Is there a restaurant or dry cleaners where the people see you more often than your Aunt Sue, but you never thought of stopping by and giving the people at the restaurant or the dry cleaners a Christmas card.

These are simple ways to serve those who serves you.  It’s an opportunity to live the set apart life which will lead others to one day ask you to tell them about your God.

Who can you serve before Christmas?

Coats for Christmas

Coats for Christmas is kicking off for 2009 and it is time for you to get involved.  This is your opportunity to put those coats you aren’t using to good use and even give out of your plenty to those who have need. (more details below video)

The mission is to be the hands and feet of Jesus to the homeless of Atlanta, GA. by providing warm winter coats, gloves, socks, stocking caps, ear muffs, scarves, etc. to them on Christmas morning.

Here’s how it works:

Take your coats out of the closet (if they need cleaning, get them dry cleaned).

Bring them to a drop off location – The Vine on Sunday mornings or 1 of 3 Classy Nail & Tan – Braselton, Hamilton Mill, or Sugarloaf through out the week.  Hours for drop off M-F: 10-7:30 Sat: 10-6

On Christmas Day meet at The Vine’s facility at 11 a.m. to head down to The Garden to start the journey of “Being Jesus and Loving Jesus”.

Keep checking back for more information regarding ideas and suggestion for getting stuff for Coat for Christmas.  Also, there may be more opportunities to arise as we move forward with this project.  For now everyone should head to the closet and give what they do not use or give out of their plenty for those who are in need.