The smell of hot pancakes hung heavy in the air after the Sunday morning church service at Walnut Creek Downtown on May 29. The pancakes did more than fill hungry bellies after church. Part of Mission to the City for the third year in a row, the pancake brunch raised nearly $700 for Operation Christmas Child (OCC).
Since 1993, OCC – a ministry of Samaritan’s Purse – has delivered gift-filled shoeboxes to over 124 million children affected by war, poverty, natural disasters, and other crises in more than 150 countries and territories. OCC partners with local churches to share the Good News of Jesus Christ with those who receive shoebox gifts. A 12-lesson discipleship program, The Greatest Journey, helps boys and girls learn what it means to follow the Lord and share their faith with others.
The pancake brunch isn’t the only OCC-related Mission to the City project happening this year. Several groups went to the Urbandale home of Central Iowa OCC volunteer to pack shoebox gifts and do other volunteer work.
On July 8, Walnut Creek Church will host the sixth annual Christmas in July party, an OCC shoebox packing party for the whole family. Like last year, our goal will be to pack 2,000 shoebox gifts and raise $14,000 to cover the shipping costs. An anonymous $7,000 donation has already been pledged to the cause.
By Tim Laehn
Walnut Creek Downtown