As the Christmas season approaches and the spirit of generosity begins to flood your heart, please remember those who will not be celebrating Christmas at home or with family this year and who desperately need to know and feel the love of Jesus.
The Christmas Prisoner Packet ministry provides every inmate in the South Carolina Department of Corrections and Department of Juvenile Justice with a packet that includes basic toiletries, writing supplies and gospel literature. Each year South Carolina Baptist Convention churches and associations partner to ensure that every incarcerated individual receives this gift that helps to meet basic needs and share the love of Jesus at such a special time of year.
If your church has never participated in this ministry, this is a great opportunity to minister to “the least of these.” There are specific guidelines for the simple contents of each packet (link below), and volunteers at the collection site double check each filled packet for consistency before adding the gospel literature. Here’s a note from a thankful inmate on the impact these care packages make:
“A care package ministers to the spirit of a man or woman in prison. Many inmates have no one in the free world. You may be the only person or group who displays any concern or regard for such an individual all year long…in doing a care package ministry, you tell people that you care, and that gives hope. “
This year, given that the CMBA office is now virtual, churches are encouraged to deliver filled packets directly to the processing location at Shandon Baptist Church located at 5250 Forest Drive, Columbia SC 29206, on Monday, December 6, between 8:00 AM and 12:00 PM. Packets will be collected in the gym, located on the back side of the church.
CMBA wants to know how many packets your church collects! Please email your church’s name and the total number of packets collected to chris@chrisreinolds.com. CMBA wants to celebrate all that God is doing through our churches.
For more details, download this brochure or contact Chris Reinolds at chris@chrisreinolds.com.