Missions

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This month we are helping to restock the food pantry of the Shelter for Abused Women and Children.

Ushers will have a list available as you leave the Sanctuary the first Sunday of December. Food donations will be collected at the 6th Street church entrance on the second Sunday of the month, December 11. If you prefer, monetary donations can be made online at www.fpcnaples.org/give or checks may be made payable to "First Presbyterian Church" with the memo marked "Feed the 5,000" and placed in the collection plate. Suggested items are:

Canned tuna, ham, chicken Baby formula (all varieties) Soups Pasta and pasta sauce Sugar Rice Peanut butter & jelly Juice/juice boxes Oatmeal Canned chili Ramen noodles Ketchup, mayonnaise, mustard Macaroni & cheese Coffee (regular & decaf) Cereal

Habitat for humanity

Join our work crew on Thursday, December 8 at 7:30 a.m. and ride the bus to our worksite. We will return to church by 12:30 p.m. Sign up in Spencer Hall at the Missions table or contact Yancy Brame at 239.331.7731 or jybrame@gmail.com.

Misión Peniel Christmas Toy Drive

This year we have been asked to collect toys for the children at Misión Peniel.

Tags with gender and age are available following the service in Spencer Hall. Toys should be approximately $20 - $25 in value and returned in a gift bag. Please bring gifts to Spencer Hall by Sunday, December 11. Our goal this year is to be able to provide gifts for 125 children.

Some suggestions include: 0 - 4 years: tactile, plush or educational toys, large Legos, playdoh sets 5 - 7 years: hot wheels, dolls, cars, educational kits 8 - 10 years: science projects, doll sets, cars, action figures

Our partner church in Matanzas Cuba sends their greetings! Pat Nordbrock was able to spend some time with them following the Cuba Partner Network Encuentro which was held at the Seminary in Matanzas. Twentyfive Americans attended this annual gathering which, due to Covid travel restrictions, has been held virtually for the past two years. The Iglesia Presbiteriana Reformada Central de Matanzas church is doing amazing work, supported partly with financial contributions of our Missions Committee. They serve seniors with hot meals once a week, are a Living Waters station (a source of clean, filtered water) for all in the community, and have begun a ministry for handicapped children as well as their regular outreach programs for their own members. These efforts for others are being accomplished in the midst of critical shortages of food, medicine, goods, and power, worsened by the years of Covid and Hurricane Ian. Our Cuban brothers and sisters are incredibly creative as they find ways to make every single resource stretch to the maximum during this especially difficult time. They support us in prayer weekly during their worship services and are in touch via WhatsApp. Pat was presented with a wreath to help us decorate our sanctuary for Christmas, made from recycled materials. This congregation has a deep and abiding faith and commitment to each other and in addition to the financial support we are able to provide, Pat took 21 pounds of medication secured by our member, Dr. Mark Speake, two large suitcases of food, hygiene supplies, solar lights for use during daily power blackouts, batteries, mosquito protection sprays due to a Dengue fever outbreak, kitchen supplies, eye glasses and paper goods. Our Director of Publications, Kathleen Law, was able to create a church brochure for them, since paper and copy machines are scarce to non-existent.

We always return with empty suitcases, but with very full hearts and tremendous respect for the way our Cuban partners live out their faith –deeply, completely, and with incredible heart and courage.