Christmas Giving Tree: Sharing Christ’s Love

As the season of Advent approaches, be sure to watch for the appearance of the St. Vincent de Paul Giving Tree here at Our Lady Star of the Sea. It will be once again filled with gift tags that allow us to live in fellowship by sharing the love of Christ with others in celebration of the Christmas season.

Parishioner Bill Brunscheen coordinates our Giving Tree for the Beaches St. Vincent de Paul Society that also includes St. Paul Parish. Paul Jennings is our parish liaison with St. Vincent de Paul.

Preparations began in September at St. Vincent de Paul, where staffers have been gathering client information so gift tags can be sent to our parish and St. Paul. Most of the tags will be for children with requests for clothing, toys, books, and games. St. Vincent de Paul makes all the tags that will be hung on our tree.

“We’ll be given a list of who the tags correspond to, so we can tell where the gifts will go,” Bill says. “Our job is to announce the giving tree to the parish, put the tags on the tree and collect the gifts.” Our parish rents several portable storage units that are used to house the gifts until St. Vincent de Paul staffers pick them up for distribution. The response from our parish has been overwhelming. “Every tag came back last year [with a gift],” Bill says. “It was wonderful. This promotes stewardship for me and for others. Our Lady Star of the

Sea people are so generous, and they take it to heart. They buy gifts like they are for their own family. They know others are needy and I’m amazed about how generous they are. They giftwrap them beautifully. This is a way of actually doing the buying themselves. They know they are giving a physical gift to someone.”

By choosing a gift, wrapping it, and placing it under the Giving Tree, our parishioners can share Christ’s love with those in need in the Beaches area.

“Jesus said that our mission is to provide to the disadvantaged, and St. Vincent de Paul does a wonderful job with that,” Bill says.

During the two weekends that gifts are returned to the Giving Tree, Bill attends all the Masses so he can keep the area under the tree clear by moving the gifts to the storage units. That experience proves to be a special one for Bill in that he sees our parishioners living as disciples of Christ.

“I see the faces of our people and how joyful they are, when they take the tags and when they bring the gifts back,” he says. “It’s a wonderful thing. Some families take multiple tags. They are so good about it.”

Volunteers are needed for help handling the gifts as they arrive and when they are picked up by St. Vincent de Paul staff. To volunteer, please call Ellen Wawrzyniak in the parish office at 904-285-2698.