For the past 15 plus years, the
Cumberland Presbyterian Church has provided help with school supplies at the
beginning of the school year. Some
years, we have received help from the Ministerial Alliance and occasionally
from a special offering at another church body in our community.
That said, funds are scarce this year.
We are optimistic that we can pull this off, and we are confident that God
wants us to continue this ministry to relieve some of the burden that parents
carry these days.
You all know that the past few years
of inflation have devastated many family budgets, some more than others. While
we all have taken some financial hits, most of us have found a way to overcome.
For some, purchasing school supplies
for 2 or 3 children means going without something essential somewhere else.
We have all the money we need to buy
these supplies. The problem is that much of it resides in the pockets and bank
accounts of our community's residents.
This asks you to consider being
generous in a time of scarcity. Yes, the preacher is asking you to put on your
big girl panties and see if you might have something to contribute.
Our planning factor used to be $50 per
student. I’m not sure how much it has gone up, but the days of significant back-to-school
bargains are gone. So please see if you can contribute something.
This may require some sacrifice of self-gratifying
purchases, but many families are faced with giving up something essential, not
a few trips to McDonald's.
If you can help, please stop by the
Cumberland Presbyterian Church and see Tom or mail a check to CPC, Box 8, Burns
Flat OK 73624. Please write BACKPACKS in the FOR line.
Money is the most helpful as we do our
best to match the supplies we give out to the prescribed lists by grade.
This is mainly for our elementary
students, but we have always been able to help with something for the junior
and senior high students as well.
Dates and times will follow shortly.
For now, please examine your situations and be as compassionate and generous as
possible.
Blessings!
