Cradle of Hope: Near and Far
Advent 2025 at FLC
Advent is the season of the church where we anticipate and prepare for the “Good News of Great Joy” of our Savior’s birth.
We who gather here at First Lutheran will be making ourselves into mangers, to receive and hold the Christ Child in our lives, through our worship each Sunday and our prayerful attention to this marvelous story of God’s love.
We also want to become angels, like those “angels from the realms of glory” announcing this Good News of God’s love to the world.
We have set a goal of raising $4000 to become messengers of joy to neighbors both near and far this Advent.
NEAR – through “Welcome the Babe” and the Family Health Centers of San Diego,
And FAR – through the ELCA’s “Abundant Community” network.
WELCOME THE BABE
We wish to share the Good News of our Savior’s birth with our nearby neighbors. Welcome the Babe this year has chosen to partner with the Family Health Centers of San Diego. They have been serving families and individuals in San Diego for more than 55 years. They are dedicated to providing caring, affordable, high-quality health care and supportive services to everyone, with a special commitment to uninsured, low-income and medically underserved persons.
First Lutheran’s support for Welcome the Babe to the Family Health Centers of San Diego will focus on FHCSD’s Baby Boutique program. This program was founded in 2010 as an initiative to encourage new moms to complete their postpartum care, while helping them obtain essential baby items. Their program addresses the needs of newborns to age 1, but is now expanding to include toddler needs (birth through 24 months) as well. Mothers are receiving what they need while also taking responsibility for caring for the health of their babies and toddlers.
This innovative Baby Boutique through FHCSD offers new, expecting and early stage parents the chance to earn baby bucks points that can be redeemed for baby clothes, diapers, toys, highchairs, play mats, wipes and more. Parents can earn baby bucks by completing specific appointments and check-ups for themselves and their newborn and/or toddler. The program is expanding this year to include pediatric check-ups and care, as well. Parents will continue to earn Baby Bucks as incentives to maintain the care necessary to raise a healthy child.
This is perfect for Welcome the Babe.
"Abundant Community" bundles
We at First Lutheran wish to become angels announcing Good News to several “far-off” global communities by sponsoring three “Abundant Community” packages through our reliable ELCA network for community development. As we add symbolic animals to our nativities both at church and at home this Advent, we wish to add real animals and means for raising crops to enhance the quality of life to impoverished neighbors in our global community.
How to Give
- If you would like to donate financially through Tithely, the drop-down menu is labeled "Cradle of Hope: Near and Far."
- If you’d like to give a gift such as one that you would give at a baby shower, just bring the gift to church and give it to Joann Masters (pretty soon we’ll be putting them in our manger).
Grab a brochure in the lobby for information to take home. Also, plan on gathering after worship on November 30, the First Sunday of Advent, to set out on this Advent journey.