Note to the Reader: Feel free to hold up a sign or item with the word “hope” on it when you reach the underlined word at the beginning and the end.
Hello, friends.
Christmas is a special season, where words such as “peace,” “comfort,” “joy,” and “hope” pop up all around us on holiday decorations and seasonal cards. Our group here is part of a bigger organization called “Stonecroft,” whose goal is to spread hope to women in the U.S. We invite women into our circle, such as our meeting here. And, we go into our communities to spread some much-needed hope. In Anchorage, Alaska, hope comes in teacups. Let me tell you about it.
A group of Stonecroft women there wanted to reach out to women in their community. They started regularly visiting a homeless shelter for women where they began to serve an evening tea and offered a Bible study time. As they poured tea into vintage teacups and served treats on fancy platters, each woman was made to feel valued and loved.
The group went through the conversational Bible study Whole, with stories of women who overcame hurt and rejection from society. Several women in the shelter cried as they identified with the characters in the study. A homeless woman had been contemplating suicide but felt that God was holding her back from taking action. When the group did the study, she said God ripped open her heart and said, “This is why I saved you.”
Because of Stonecroft, women are finding hope. Stonecroft inspired the group to do something in their community, trained them on how to reach out, equipped them with resources such as Whole, and encircled them with encouragement and support for the leader to receive special training.
That’s what makes Stonecroft important to our world. We bear hope and help each other become better at reaching our communities with love and value.
When we give to Stonecroft, hope comes to our community and across the country as women are inspired, equipped, and encircled as they reach out with love to other women where they are, as they are. Won’t you help support women in these efforts?
It takes $137 to inspire, equip, and encircle one woman to reach out to other women. That’s only about $11.50 a month for a year. Be assured, every dollar we give today counts to bring hope to other women.
Your tax-deductible gifts can be placed in the envelopes. On the envelope flap, you have the opportunity to make a one-time gift or a monthly donation. You can make your donation by credit card, check, or cash. If using cash, please provide your information on the envelope flap. You will receive a receipt. Your table host is passing around a larger envelope to receive your envelope.
Thank you for giving hope to others.
Merry Christmas!