Drop-off locations this year for Operation Christmas Child include Crosshaven Church, Northbrook Baptist Church, Fairview First United Methodist Church and Cullman’s Chick-Fil-A. Churches will accept boxes Nov. 13-20, and Chick-Fil-A will accept boxes Oct.26-Nov. 11. / Andrew Cryer
CULLMAN – Earlier this week, David Ozment held an informational meeting at East Side Baptist Church to showcase Operation Christmas Child. Local churches have been active in the operation for more than 16 years, and many representatives of churches throughout Cullman County came to learn this year’s drop off locations as well as how to get started.
Last year, more than 80 Cullman County churches and organizations collected a record 8,613 shoe boxes. This year’s goal has been extended to 10,000 gift-filled boxes.
The operation is a part of evangelist Franklin Graham’s Samaritan’s Purse international relief organization, whose mission statement says, “Samaritan’s Purse is a nondenominational evangelical Christian organization providing spiritual and physical aid to hurting people around the world. Since 1970, Samaritan’s Purse has helped meet needs of people who are victims of war, poverty, natural disasters, disease, and famine with the purpose of sharing God’s love through His Son, Jesus Christ. The organization serves the church worldwide to promote the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.”
Organizer Ozment showed those in attendance a short video from Samaritan’s Purse which showed the process of how boxes are collected, distributed and welcomed from children around the world.
Said Ozment, “I know everyone here understands the importance of these boxes and how important they are to the church… I think that this is the best way, through children, to teach the Gospel.”
To order pre-printed boxes and for free information, visit https://www.samaritanspurse.org/occ.
Drop-off locations this year include Crosshaven Church, Northbrook Baptist Church, Fairview First United Methodist Church and Cullman’s Chick-Fil-A. Churches will accept boxes Nov. 13-20, and Chick-Fil-A will accept boxes Oct.26-Nov. 11.
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