As the harsh winter season arrives, being able to protect our bodies from the elements is something we often take for granted. For many, the luxury of a clean and warm coat is only a wish. In the spirit of Thanksgiving, we will be launching a coat drive from now until November 17 to serve those in need. In King County alone nearly 3,000 people are reported to be homeless. This number doesn't even include the low-income families, single moms, and children in need.
As the hands and feet of Christ, we have an opportunity to share the love of Jesus. Offering love and warmth through the act of giving a coat is a wonderful example of God’s grace. We will be collecting new and used coats of any and all sizes (preferably in good condition).
This is a wonderful way for our churches and community groups to engage and serve in their local context. Pastor Tim Smith of Mars Hill Portland captured some great vision behind why we do this:
Bring your coats to your local Mars Hill church on Sundays or throughout the week now until November 17. Each church is responsible for coordinating the collection and delivery of the coats. You can find out more specific details about your church's coat drives on their Facebook events:
- Bellevue
- Ballard
- Downtown Seattle
- Federal Way
- Olympia
- Portland
- Rainier Valley
- Shoreline
- U-District
- West Seattle
May we not only look to take care of our own family, but also look to serve those who aren't in our family yet. Thank you for considering and please invite friends and family to do the same by sharing these events. God is good and we can share his goodness in the simplest of ways—even as simple as a coat.
