Dec. 22, 2018 – West Bend, WI – The illuminating smiles on the children’s faces as they wait in anticipation for the gifts to arrive is a clear illustration of Christmas joy. This is the ideal impact the newly established “giving tree” at Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church has created for moments just like this.
The giving tree is festively decorated with ornaments containing names and gift ideas for those who belong to the Lighthouse Youth Center.
Their Christian services support the sole purpose of assisting inner-city youth with a safe environment that develops academics while instilling beneficial morals for their personal and spiritual lives.
Member and ministry coordinator, Tammy Heckendorf explained the motivation behind the cooperation with the Lighthouse Youth Center.
“Shepherd of the Hills wanted to provide opportunities for members to engage in community involvement,” said Heckendorf. “We reached out to Lighthouse ministry last year where we started serving meals, mentoring youth and sponsored a giving tree at Christmas for 40 students.”
Kelly Krause, the administrative assistant, gathered all the gifts from the church members that participated and delivered it to the organization. She described the impact that is influenced by this spirit of giving.
“For many of the children that attend Lighthouse, they come from one parent homes or unstable homes where parental involvement isn’t always there. When you see the joy that a simple gift brings these children it fills your heart with joy to know you’ve made them feel important. I believe the members of Shepherd of the Hills benefit by being able to provide these children with the gifts as a way to show appreciation for all the blessings they receive daily and helps instill the true meaning of Christmas, ‘Tis’ better to give than to receive.’”.
To stay updated on Shepherd of the Hills and how you can get involved click HERE.