Each Operation Christmas Child, box at church has labels with what to pack/not pack. Several boxes have left the building!! There are adhesive labels at church with directions if you wish to follow your box. Please do NOT tape your boxes shut. Rubber bands are available at church. Following the guidelines for gifts makes going through customs easier. (Our collection date will be November
Best Christmas Ever - It's not too late to nominate deserving families, as nominations are accepted through November 1. However, captains are already starting to pick their families, and Ann B. and her co-captain Rachel need to do the heavy lifting for the fundraising for their family now! If you are interested and able to contribute, contact Ann B..
November 1st is the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church. Each week I hear of new threats, killings, or areas where Christians are no longer safe to live or to worship. Here are some recent stats: 19,000 Christians have been killed in Nigeria in the past six years according to the American Center for Law and Justice. Voice of the Martyrs in August 2026 stated that gangs are now attacking Christians as they worship in Haiti. Before this time, gangs left churches alone.
According to Open Doors, here are the top ten most dangerous places to be a Christian –
North Korea
Somalia
Yemen
Sudan
Eritrea
Syria
Nigeria
Pakistan
Libya
Iran
India is also seeing a large increase in persecution of both Muslims and Christians.
What can we do? In Mathew 5:44 Jesus says, “But I say to you, ‘Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.’” On November 1st you can pray with your church and begin to pray daily for our persecuted brothers and sisters around the world. Please pray on November 1st for our brothers and sisters around the world. They pray for us.