December 3, 2025
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
We celebrate Jesus’ birthday by giving love and sharing joy. And each year, the UUMC missions team designates one local and one international nonprofit for our congregation to support through a special Christmas Offering. For 2025 the missions team has chosen to support World Central Kitchen-Gaza Famine and Southside Community Center.
This special Christmas offering will be divided equally between these two organizations for the good and life saving work they are doing. Please return your gift in the enclosed envelope or donate through the Venmo app (@UUMCDonation) and indicate that it is for the “Christmas Offering”. Here is a bit more about the two organizations:
World Central Kitchen( WCK) Gaza Famine
WCK’s newest Field Kitchen in Gaza, the Salam Kitchen in Deir al-Balah, is up and running. The team here prepared tens of thousands of hot meals on their first day, adding to our existing network in a major step towards our goal of 1 million meals daily for Palestinian families. World Central Kitchen founder is Chef José Andrés who recently said, “We (at WCK) are on the side of humanity and feeding people,” We urge compassion, love, and care for both Palestinians and Israelis. We firmly believe that in the worst of situations, the best of humanity shows up. We continue our calls for a ceasefire, the hostages to be released, and an end to this cruelty and suffering on all sides.”
Southside Community Center Coalition
Located in South Lansing since opening their doors in 2003, The Southside Community Center Coalition serves hundreds of southside youth, families and seniors including after school programs, and tutoring; senior luncheons; food commodity distribution; nutrition and health care forums; Summer breakfast and lunch programs; Summer youth programs and a garden club. The mission of Southside Community Center Coalition is: to provide educational programs, job training, health programs and recreational opportunities for youth, families, and seniors, to promote self-esteem and academic success, and foster the development of positive life skills through one-on-one mentoring, vocational advancement, education and recreation. At the center, Lansing residents can find information, enjoy fun, safe and interesting programs and have an opportunity to become involved in their neighborhoods.
Thank you for your generosity and for sharing the gift of Christmas with others this season.
Pastor Melanie Carey