Two local churches announced their support of Operation Christmas Child, a project that involves collecting shoe boxes filled with toys and goodies for impoverished children around the world. This ministry is part of Franklin Graham’s Samaritan’s Purse.

La Crescenta Presbyterian Church recently launched its annual Operation Christmas Child campaign. Community children and families are encouraged to prepare as many boxes as possible.

“Last year we nearly doubled the amount of boxes that we prepared due to a very generous couple in our church who offered to match box for box those gathered by the whole church,” said Pastor Andy Wilson. “We sent in something like 600 boxes last year.”

There are full guidelines for the packing of the boxes at www.lcpc.net under Missions.

Children’s Ministry director Ashley Adamson, who is in charge of the program, said, “This is a great project for children to participate in because it helps them to appreciate what they have and encourages compassion for others. Each year we strive to collect more boxes than the previous year and our deadline for box collection is Nov. 11.”

La Crescenta Presbyterian Church is located at 2902 Montrose Ave. in La Crescenta. For more information, contact the church office at (818) 249-6137 or online at www.lcpc.net.

At First Baptist Church La Crescenta, an invitation is also extended to the community to fill shoeboxes with needed items for children in need.

Organizers state that the mission of Operation Christmas Child is to demonstrate God’s love in a tangible way to needy children around the world, and together with the local church worldwide, to share the “Good News of Jesus Christ.”     First Baptist Church La Crescenta will be collecting shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child during the week of Nov. 12-18. Participants can also drop off cash for the church to pack shoeboxes.

Shoeboxes can be dropped off during our normal church business hours. The church address for drop off is 4441 La Crescenta Ave. in La Crescenta, cross street Mary Street.

For more information, check out Operation Christmas Child’s website

http://wwwsamaritanspurse.org/index.php/OCC/index/ which gives instructions on how to pack a shoe box or contact Bob Baumheckel at (818) 249-5832 ext. 108.